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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683144">The Revenant</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/D3ADM4N/pseuds/D3ADM4N'>D3ADM4N</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Ball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awesome Son Gohan, Dark Son Gohan, Drama, F/M, Gen, Teenage Son Gohan, vegeta - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:22:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>75,853</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683144</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/D3ADM4N/pseuds/D3ADM4N</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten years after the Namek travesty, Lord Coola is finally ready to avenge his father and brother, and add planet Earth to the Planet Trade's collection. But the sudden emergence of a powerful new galactic threat throws a spanner in the works; forcing his young protégé, Gohan, into a tentative alliance with the Z fighters.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Prince</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>PART ONE</strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>Mort stared at the fluorescent rock; nestling firmly at the heart of the dusty crater and pulsing purple against the blood-red night sky.</p><p>"What do ya think it is?" He enquired.</p><p>He was small, grey and scrawny, like the rest of his species. A large head housed inquisitive eyes and a nose-less face, and was topped with a too-large pilots helmet. Two scrawny arms rested at his sides, topped with large hands covered in dusty gloves, and long legs sprouted from a short torso; pant-clad and sinking into scavenged, ill-fitting boots.</p><p>His build was as awkward as his demeanour; timid and unsure, as he dusted his waistcoat and eyed the rock cautiously.</p><p>"You're the genius," Koman shot back, "you tell me."</p><p>Koman was the polar opposite of his cousin; shorts-clad, red skinned, clothes scavenged but fitted, and eying the new find like a bargain at the junk market.</p><p>"I know about machines and relics." Mort replied. "This is a whole other level of weird."</p><p>"Barba?" Koman peered inquisitively at his larger associate.</p><p>Barba towered over them; big, bulky, and square. His wide-set eyes sat on a featureless face and they flicked briefly from the glowing metal rock to his comrades. All he could offer his comrades was a vacant look and a shrug.</p><p>Barba could lift a small ship on his own but he was terrible for conversation.</p><p>"I'll tell you what it is…" Koman began, eyes alight, "…profit."</p><p>He began striding purposefully towards the crater until Mort gripped his arm.</p><p>"You insane?!" Mort interjected, "You don't know what the hell that thing is or where it came from! Could be covered in parasites for all you know."</p><p>"Thought you said you only knew about 'machines and relics'?" Koman shot back, yanking his arm free.</p><p>"I also know that meteors don't glow like that."</p><p>"Exactly."</p><p>"…Huh?"</p><p>"Whatever it is, it could be valuable. Think of how much money we could make from this!"</p><p>"We got plenty money in the cart back there."</p><p>Mort pointed and the large hover cart stuffed to the brim with old machinery, sheet metal, and other parts and relics from this planet's long-forgotten past.</p><p>Koman scoffed.</p><p>"C'mon, Mort, that stuff's small change compared to treasure trove that practically landed on top of us."</p><p>"The junk market won't have anywhere near enough funds to pay us for that <em>thing</em> anyhow. Assuming it's actually worth something."</p><p>"Don't know about you but I'm thinking bigger than the junk market."</p><p>"Such as?"</p><p>"God knows... we'll figure that out later." Koman waved dismissively. "What I do know is that once word gets out, those big shot PTO assholes will quarantine this planet and take this damn thing for themselves, so this is our only chance to get a piece of it."</p><p>Mort frowned. Koman continued.</p><p>"Besides, when they do, the price is gonna be <em>sky high </em>and I plan on taking <em>full </em>advantage."</p><p>Koman didn't wait for a response. Grabbing his satchel, he surfed, boot-first, down the shallow crater wall, orange dust billowing in his wake.</p><p>Barba, twice their size combined, followed closely behind him, huge feet gouging sand from the hardened turf.</p><p>"Fuck my life..." Mort sighed in defeat, grabbing his satchel and taking a swig from his water before following down the shallow crater.</p><p>It had been a few hours before dawn when the meteorite burst through Afterlife's heavy, arid atmosphere. The shockwave from its speed had ruffled the dead planet's scorched and abandoned settlements and kicked up dust in its wake before crashing in the distance.</p><p>Mort had seen a hundred worlds in his time as a junker. Meteorites were nothing new, in fact they were common for a tiny planet at the edge of the galaxy. Hell, he was willing to bet they were probably the reason why Afterlife was dead to begin with, or at least <em>one</em> of them if the craters were anything to go by.</p><p>The impact hadn't been enough to interrupt their search for relics and old machinery in the tiny planet's endless seas of trash and rubble. He and his associates had paused briefly to make insincere wishes before they continued to dig earnestly. The hours had proven profitable too; the old engine parts alone would fetch a good price at the junk market.</p><p>It had only been afterwards, as they were making their way back to their half-rusted ship under the dark pre-dawn skies that they noticed the distant purple glow at the landing site.</p><p>That <em>was</em> new…</p><p>The glow intensified as they raced down the crater wall and they were bathed in a gentle warmth upon their approach.</p><p>This definitely wasn't a meteor.</p><p>"Whoa…" The wonder spilled from Mort's lips when he observed the object up close; nested at the very heart of the crater, half-submerged in crusted orange earth.</p><p>It was… weird… to say the least. Surprisingly small given the size of the crater, about the width a hover car, with a queer shape like a mass of bubbles moulded together. It was entirely the opposite of the usual jagged mass of rock that often made up meteors. And it was shiny. Very shiny. It reflected the pre-dawn sky with such intensity that Mort could see the fading stars on its surface.</p><p>"What d'ya think it's made of?" He asked, bare hands gliding across the smooth surface. It was cold to the touch.</p><p>"Money." Koman responded, without missing a beat, still circling and appraising the shimmering metal with hunger in his eyes. He couldn't believe his luck. "Enough for some new IDs from the market, a one-way ticket out of this shitty star system and away from this shittier junker life, new lives, maybe some land on a distant planet somewhere too."</p><p>"Speak for yourself." Mort replied, slight pang of excitement dripping into his voice, "I'm going to school. Get myself a proper qualification."</p><p>"Yeah, you do that…" Koman responded dismissively.</p><p>He rummaged briefly through his satchel before producing a chisel and hammer.</p><p>"What are you doing?"</p><p>"Getting paid."</p><p>"Don't you think we should do a more thorough inspection firs-?"</p><p>His protests were drowned out by metal clashing with metal as the chisel banged stiffly against the thick alloy.</p><p>Evidently, Koman didn't.</p><p>Unfortunately, for his comrade, the chisel had no effect. Barring a mild vibration, the chisel didn't leave so much as a mark. Koman looked perplexed, then furrowed his brows and tried again. The hammer struck the chisel more forcefully this time but, again, he only managed to produce a subtle vibration. When he pulled the chisel away, only smooth, untouched metal greeted him.</p><p>"Sunuva…" He scowled, "The hell is this thing made from?"</p><p>"Money." Mort shot back sarcastically, retrieving his own chisel from his satchel. His attempts were met with the same result. "Interesting. Might be the hardest surface I've ever seen. Lotta armies would pay a small fortune for something like this."</p><p>"They won't be paying a damned thing if it's stuck in this god-forsaken crater." He spat in frustration. "Not unless Barba can carry it back to the ship."</p><p>As if on cue, Barba appeared beside them, reared back, and punched the shimmering alloy, leaving a smooth dent and a shallow crack where his large fist impacted the surface.</p><p>"Aw, sweet!" Koman grinned in triumph.</p><p>Barba just responded with a smile.</p><p>Before they could celebrate, his efforts were met with a heavy vibration and a brief but disconcerting groan from deep within the bowels of the lumpy metal. And Mort's anxiety spiked.</p><p>"Guys, that ain't normal…" His eyes flicked towards the glowing rock, then back to his crew. "We should grab our shit, take what we got, and get out of here."</p><p>"Listen, <em>you </em>can run back to the ship if you want to, but don't expect me n' Barbs to split the proceeds if we're doing all the work," He turned to his heavy teammate, "right, Barb?"</p><p>Barba nodded in response.</p><p>Mort stayed silent, defeated, but stepped back cautiously to observe.</p><p>Koman braced his chisel again, this time with the sharp head nestled in the crack Barba had created. His hammer met the head and, this time, the crack deepened and widened, spreading sharply across the surface. It would prove to be a fatal mistake.</p><p>Before he could strike a second blow, the metal groaned then shimmered and warped around his chisel… then snapped out and grasped his lower arm with frightening speed. Koman's yelp of surprise turned into a pained scream as the metal tightened around his arm, hardening then crushed the entire appendage.</p><p>Mort watched the display in wordless horror, impotent in his inaction as his tools slipping from his limp, shaky grasp.</p><p>He watched as Koman struggled frantically, hammering away at the metallic appendage in desperation with his free hand until the metal expanded and grasped his other hand and his leg.</p><p>"Help me!"</p><p>His heart thumped against his chest as the screams echoed in the pre-dawn air. Barba tried valiantly to save him until he too was caught by a second metallic appendage. This time it burst from beneath the crusted orange sand, impaling the behemoth's chest with such force it lifted him from his feet. A surprised and pained groan escaped him as he landed but it was silenced quickly as his head was tightly embraced in a cocoon of smooth metal.</p><p>With a sudden and violent jerk, the behemoth was dragged beneath the surface to his grave.</p><p>It was only as the glow intensified that Mort's adrenaline spiked in panic and he turned to run.</p><p>"Oh fuck! Oh fuck! Oh fuck!"</p><p>He had to get out of here. Fast. If he could just get out of the crater… put some distance between him and whatever the hell that thing was…</p><p>That was his final coherent thought before his legs were locked in a crushing metallic embrace.</p><p>Unlike his comrades, Mort never had the opportunity to scream. His mouth was quickly flooded with metal and sand and an eerie silence fell over the desert plain.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>The Prince</strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>The Planet Trade Organisation.</p><p>The most powerful entity in the known galaxy.</p><p>Seven centuries of blood and strife had nurtured a modest mercenary collective into a galaxy spanning conglomerate with thousands of planets enveloped in its unyielding grasp.</p><p>For generations, it had engineered coups and rebellions, instigated and settled planet spanning conflicts, influenced depositions and coronations, and funded the imperialist ambitions of dynasties across the galaxy. Such was its power and influence.</p><p>And through it all, it had accrued incalculable wealth.</p><p>For the latter half of its history, it was the arm of an empire with billions of lives affected by every executive order. This was due, in no small part, to its long stewardship. Throughout its storied history, it had been chaired by generations of the strongest beings to have walked the cosmos.</p><p>And now Coola stood alone at the helm. The last surviving heir to the Kold Dynasty. A worthy vanguard of a noble tradition; the strongest in the universe.</p><p>He sat at the head of the long table, deep within the bowels of his ship. His purple skin glowed faintly under the dim lighting as his hover-chair echoed in the empty imperial chamber. Three holograms sat before him. The transmission signal was middling but at best but, still, the alabaster white and pearlescent black carapaces of his council members were unmistakeable.</p><p>His executives. The 33 sectors of his empire were divided amongst them. He let the silence linger for a moment, regarding each member in turn with piercing inquisition.</p><p>"Welcome." He declared.</p><p>"<em>You honour us with your summons, Lord Coola"</em> Executive Argo responded, voice distorted with the flickering hologram.</p><p>"<em>Sire, before we begin, may we offer our sincerest condolences on the anniversary of your father's death."</em></p><p>Coola turned his gaze to the longest serving member of his council. Shrunken and withered but reserved and earnest, Executive Kuri has served three generations of his family faithfully.</p><p>"Thank you, Executive Kuri."</p><p>"<em>Both he and your brother, Sire."</em> Argo continued. He was far younger but seasoned and more forthright. <em>"Horrific that they met their ends at the hands of a savage."</em> He stated, lips curling in distain. "<em>May your vengeance be swift and brutal.</em>"</p><p>"The sooner you bring me good news; the sooner we can proceed with my revenge."</p><p>"<em>Indeed, Sire." </em>Argo continued.<em> "We've spared no expense. A thousand of our finest soldiers drafted from across the galaxy, as requested. All provisioned and equipped with newly commissioned armour; all ready for deployment. More than sufficient to occupy the planet's forces."</em></p><p>"I hope so. I've waited a decade to engage my father and brother's murderer; I <em>will not </em>have our meeting disturbed."</p><p>"<em>They have been briefed of the importance of their mission. Earth's defences will be fully occupied by the time you do battle with the monkey; their stand will be brutal and short."</em></p><p>Coola nodded, tail draped elegantly over his seat. Everything was moving according to plan.</p><p>"See that they're not too reckless in their campaign. The planet is useless to me if they grind it to powder."</p><p>"<em>If I may ask, what of the monkey's friends, my Lord?"</em> Lott enquired, cautious, considered and calculating as always. <em>"The old Namek files state the savage was accompanied by a number of earthlings, including a namekian. The traitorous prince was also amongst their ranks. I fear they may be too great an obstacle for our soldiers to overcome."</em></p><p>"Obstacle is a polite way to phrase it, Lott."</p><p>"<em>Then forgive me, my Lord, but how do we intend to bridge the gap? Perhaps we should increase our numbers as a contingency?"</em></p><p>"<em>To how many?</em>" Argo enquired, turning to face his counterpart.</p><p>"<em>Fifty-thousand. Perhaps even a hundred-"</em></p><p>"<em>A hundred thousand?" </em>He asked, incredulous. <em>"Excessive. We've never needed to provision more than ten-thousand soldiers to conquer a planet and that's with elite forces leading the campaigns."</em></p><p>"<em>With all due respect, Argo, the additional expense is justified. Earth is a priceless jewel and its defences are not to be underestimated.</em>" Lott countered. "<em>We must spare no expense, particularly when we consider its value to the Organisation.</em>"</p><p>"<em>And all of that value wiped out when a hundred thousand soldiers accidentally raze the planet to the ground, destroy its technology and slaughter its brightest minds-" </em></p><p>"Enough." Coola cut through the bickering with a calm authority, rising from his seat. "Lord Lott, do you question my judgement?"</p><p>He met the cautious executive with a withering red gaze.</p><p>"<em>No, Sire. I-"</em></p><p>"Perhaps you believe me arrogant? Ill-prepared?" He enquired, gaze unwavering.</p><p>"<em>Never, Lord Coola. I simply wish to ensure this mission's success-"</em></p><p>"As do I, Lord Lott." He stated, closing the issue. "A thousand soldiers will be enough."</p><p>"<em>Yes, Sire."</em></p><p>Coola nodded.</p><p>"The Squadron will accompany me." He declared, reclaiming his seat. "As will Unit 54." His council remained silent as he continued. "I expect my most powerful unit to crush his friends." He paused, red eyes scrutinizing each executive in turn. "As for Vegeta, my Chief will deliver justice for his betrayal personally."</p><p>Silence continued to linger over the council chamber. And Coola had expected it. It seemed that even decades after the demise of the Saiyan race, the paranoia still lingered among his executives.</p><p>"I can sense your trepidation. Speak freely. I have never prevented you from expressing your opinions."</p><p>"…<em>I do not doubt the strength of your unit, my Lord." Kuri began. "My only concern is your unit captain."</em></p><p>"He has never failed me."</p><p>"<em>Indeed, Sire. But considering what he is and where he will be going… I have concerns as to whether he has the emotional fortitude to handle the magnitude of</em> <em>the task at hand."</em></p><p>"<em>I share his concerns, Sire." </em>Lott, concurred.</p><p>"Did you not counsel caution a moment ago?" The executive at least had the grace to look embarrassed. "I could deploy a hundred-thousand soldiers or the most powerful member of my military."</p><p>"<em>Forgive me, my Lord, but given his maverick tendencies and… genetic instability-"</em></p><p>"I hear your concerns, council." Coola interjected, weary of the topic. "But the decision has been made. I will not hear any more on this matter."</p><p>The council fell into silence once again.</p><p>"I expect my ship to be ready for inspection by tomorrow. Our forces will depart for earth in a week, provided all sectors are secure."</p><p>"<em>Almost, Sire."</em></p><p>Coola paused, eyes narrowing.</p><p>"What do you mean 'almost'?"</p><p>"<em>Sector 30, Sire. The Afterlife incident…"</em></p><p>"It's been two months, Lott; I was under the impression that this matter had been concluded."</p><p>"<em>Apologies, my Lord, but there have been new developments; an eye witness on the planet when the celestial object struck."</em></p><p>"I was informed that the planet was deserted when the incident occurred."</p><p>"<em>Apparently not, my Lord. What's more, he was accompanied by two associates, both of whom are dead."</em></p><p>"And why has he not been eliminated as well? Information such as this is incredibly sensitive, I did not believe I would need to hold your hands in these matters."</p><p>"<em>That was our first point of call, however he is sick, Lord Coola. Very Sick."</em></p><p>"As is to be expected when one comes into contact with an uninspected celestial object. Meteorites carry pathogens, unfortunate for the weak, maybe, but I fail to see how this interferes with our mission."</p><p>"<em>Understandable, Sire, but they don't carry artificial pathogens."</em></p><p>Silence.</p><p>"Are you implying my empire is under attack? That you have allowed terrorism to propagate in your sector?"</p><p>"<em>I have yet to reach such a conclusion, my Lord. However, these developments would require further investigation."</em></p><p>"<em>Sire,"</em> Kuri interjected <em>"I understand your eagerness for revenge more than anyone, however, if something like this is left unchecked, it could easily spread to other sectors and threaten our stability. It would be wise to exercise caution and investigate before we conquer Earth."</em></p><p>Coola paused, weighing his thirst for conquest against the risks posed to his empire.</p><p>"I will depart for Earth in two weeks. No later. In the meantime, Bolo will travel to Sector 30 and oversee the investigation personally."</p><p>"<em>Thank you, Lord Coola."</em></p><p>"Don't thank me." He replied darkly. "Pray this is something worthy of my attention."</p>
<hr/><p>The city of Atlus was an architectural spectacle. From grandiosity of the commercial metropolis at its heart and the opulence of the imperial palace on the outskirts, to the cathedral spires reaching ambitiously toward the heavens, all the way down to the modest residential quarters that skirted the splendour, it was a marvel. One that sharply contrasted the metallic conformity of other more advanced civilisations.</p><p>Today, the grand capital had shed all pretext of dignified splendour. Music blared and everything was awash with colour, even more-so than usual. Banners decorated every building and flags hung from every lamp. The streets were a harmonious mess of colourfully dressed festival revellers, elaborately constructed floats, children's parades, choreographed dancers and lithe acrobats. And the bright blue sun added a shimmer to the display.</p><p>Nearly every citizen seemed to be in attendance; some two million dwellers, including government officials, who had travelled to partake in the celebration.</p><p>And all of them were under observation.</p><p>Vash's tall frame was folded, legs crossed as she sat hovering beneath the clouds. A light breeze swept long locks of feathered emerald hair across sharp, pine-green features; sharp, angled eyes, a delicate nose, and small, shapely lips.</p><p>"Well, isn't this cute." She drawled flatly, armour glimmering as her teeth tore another bite of meat from her drumstick.</p><p>"You should show some appreciation, Soldier." General Bolo's voice boomed in her ear despite the chattered signal. "We rarely get to see this kind of culture."</p><p>The General was taller still, nearly eight-feet tall, pink-skinned and powerfully built, and he hovered several kilometres south-east of her position. His spiked, carapaced and pink head affixed firmly to the grand palace in the distance.</p><p>"Because we're too busy destroying it?"</p><p>Her scouter caught the familiar look of annoyance.</p><p>"I'm just saying…" She placated defensively, a mouthful of food. "By the way, this scouter signal is sketchy as hell. I thought these things were meant to be state of the art."</p><p>"Solar radiation." He gestured towards the pale blue sun. "They're a work in progress."</p><p>"This is bullshit…" She muttered, words spat from her lips like an irritated scoff. "You'd think they'd field-test this crap before they gave them to <em>us</em>."</p><p>"This <em>is</em> the field test, Soldier. It was the Supreme Commander's idea. If you have a problem, take it up with him."</p><p>Sudden silence was her answer.</p><p>"Forgive me," a thin, wiry voice chimed, "but-"</p><p>"Why? What did you do?" Vash cut in with dry sarcasm.</p><p>Mussul, for his part, continued unperturbed.</p><p>"But… what is the purpose of this festival?"</p><p>His slight frame, typical for a Ki-Lod, matched the polite tone. He was by far the smallest of the Unit, standing a full head shorter than his female counterpart and then some, with a large head and pale green skin splotched from head to toe with darker flecks and splotches. Two thick fingers and a thumb plied his chin in thought as he hovered several kilometres south-west of her position. His other hand grasped the hilt of a short, elaborate knife holstered in his belt</p><p>Vash shook her head in a mix of irritation and disgust.</p><p>"You're way too polite, rookie, you know that?"</p><p>"Ignore Vash." Bolo's voice crackled. "She's a cunt."</p><p>"Just giving the newbie some guidance."</p><p>"Give him a lesson instead."</p><p>"How about he opens a book."</p><p>Her insubordination was met with a sharp glare.</p><p>"Harmony Festival." She began, sighing in annoyance. "These assholes unified their governments seven years back."</p><p>"If you call global conquest unification." Bolo added.</p><p>"Either way, it's an annual celebration commemorating the end of the war. See those colours?" Elegant hands gestured vaguely to the oranges, reds, blues, and other colourful shades adorning the buildings and crowds. "Banners for the continental provinces. It's meant to represent peace and harmony and all that other flowery, frivolous shit that never lasts."</p><p>"Global unification is impressive for such an underdeveloped species." Mussul responded, pearlescent purple eyes affixed to the parade.</p><p>And it was true. Global governments were usually the marker of advanced species, typically in response to a larger threat. It was practically unheard of for a species that had barely discovered intra-planetary flight to have unified their governments so successfully.</p><p>"Yeah, they're pretty remarkable. The emperor's dick's been hard ever since his coronation."</p><p>"He conquered his planet and brought lasting peace and prosperity to his people." Bolo added. "My dick would be hard too."</p><p>"Hard enough to think you can take on a galactic ruler?" She enquired, glancing at the general.</p><p>"That seems… unwise." Mussul added.</p><p>"See? Even the weirdo agrees with me."</p><p>"Largescale military victories have a way of inflating egos." The general reasoned.</p><p>"Permission to speak freely, General?"</p><p>Vash rolled her eyes at the Ki-Lod's insipid politeness, muttering indiscernibly under her breath.</p><p>"Granted."</p><p>"May I ask why you admire this emperor?" He enquired. "Lord Coola is the most powerful being in the galaxy; perhaps even the universe. He takes what he pleases and destroys those who resist him. One would assume that, were he to present you with a rare choice between a peaceful annexation and retaining your throne or violent conquest at the hands of a far superior force, you would choose annexation every time."</p><p>Not for the first time, Bolo found himself the subject of Mussel's scrutinising gaze.</p><p>"The emperor had a vision, he was willing to make sacrifices to achieve it, and is willing to make more to retain it. It takes balls to resist the Supreme Commander; I respect that."</p><p>"Respectfully, would you mind clarifying, General? I have noted similar patterns of logic among other rulers as well and it has always ended in defeat. Surely the appropriate course of action when posed with such an overwhelming threat would involve self-preservation and minimising collateral damage?"</p><p>"Two for two…" Vash muttered.</p><p>"Self-preservation at what cost? The emperor improved their society immeasurably; what will a conquering force inflict on your people when they're in charge? He chose the brave route and is willing to see it through, no matter the cost."</p><p>"I guess that makes us debt collectors then." Vash interjected dryly. "Personally, I think you're giving this asshole way too much credit."</p><p>Mussul shifted his gaze.</p><p>"In what way, Vashon?"</p><p>"Don't. Call me. That."</p><p>Bolo shook his head, but a faint smile betrayed his amusement.</p><p>"Apologies." Mussul bowed his head, respectful but unmoved. "In what way?"</p><p>She shot him a look for several long moments, indiscernible but brimming with withering negativity, before mastering herself.</p><p>"This has nothing to do with balls." She continued, head turning towards the crowd. "This emperor's one of those holier than thou types. Greater destiny, good triumphs over evil… all self-aggrandizement and self-righteousness right up until it gets him and his people killed."</p><p>He was tempted to press further, but her slight shift in demeanour and tonal depth warned against encroachment.</p><p>"So, you are suggesting he is naïve?"</p><p>"No, rookie; y<em>ou're</em> naïve."</p><p>"Perhaps." He responded, the calm contemplativeness never ceased to amaze his teammates…</p><p>"I'm saying the emperor's a narcissist." She continued. "There's no other explanation for that level of stubbornness."</p><p>A sudden chatter in Bolo's scouter cut their conversation short, just as the bulk of the parade passed the imperial palace.</p><p>"Doesn't matter either way. His reign is over."</p><p>"Time to move?" Vash enquired.</p><p>"The captain's captured him. They should have a front row seat any second now."</p><p>As if on cue, chaos erupted.</p><p>A shrill shriek erupted from the imperial palace as the balcony window shattered and a woman plummeted to her death, much to the horror of the crowd. An explosion followed a second later, decimating the top floor and dispersing the crowd in a storm of panic and rubble.</p><p>The captain emerged shortly thereafter, bursting from the roof tiles with the emperor in his grasp and soaring high above the palace.</p><p>Vash stood, stretched, popped her joints and tossed away the bone.</p><p>"Show time."</p><p>The general's palm shot out toward the city and a ball of energy swirled into being.</p><p>"Have you picked your targets?"</p><p>"Already got mine." Vash responded, eyeing the panicked crowd.</p><p>"Acquired." Mussul confirmed; eyes, hands, and knife glowing brightly.</p><p>Then an adolescent voice crackled through their speakers.</p><p>"No survivors."</p><p>The grand capital fell in a hail of fire and violence.</p><p>Two hours later, the cathedral stood as the sole survivor of the onslaught, but it bore its share of scars.</p><p>Two of its four spires had been destroyed and another stood crumbling, though one balcony remained miraculously untouched. It was situated near the peak of the remaining spire and it overlooked the now ruined capital.</p><p>A poetic location.</p><p>The Unit Captain stood, posture straight, and scowling in concentration as he typed away at his wrist display. He was young<em>,</em> barely mid-teens, but his skin held the rich tan of a thousand worlds; his hair was a thick, rain-soaked mane pulled uncooperatively into a banded pony tail, and a furry brown tail stood proudly behind him.</p><p>He tossed a tiny black ball to the edge of the balcony and a flickering hologram emerged a few seconds later.</p><p>Lord Coola.</p><p>"Mission accomplished." Chief declared. "The capital fell within an hour. The planet's yours."</p><p>The Supreme Commander towered over him, a figure of indisputable authority despite the lightyears between them, and his red eyes were vibrant and piercing, despite the flickering signal.</p><p>"<em>And the emperor?</em>"</p><p>He retrieved the bound figure and flung him before the overlord's feet.</p><p>The emperor was relatively untouched, milk-white skin and hairless features only mildly blemished by a few cuts and bruises, but the hollow eyes and near catatonic expression told tales of pain and defeat.</p><p>"We showed him what it means to defy you."</p><p>The defeated figure looked up at Coola, his expression unreadable but entirely bereft of the righteous defiance he'd previously exhibited towards the architect of his downfall.</p><p>Coola met the ruler with a look of cold indifference… then his eyes shifted to the Chief. A wordless command… and the Unit Captain duly obliged.</p><p>A second later, a piercing red beam passed seamless through the base of the emperor's skull, splattering blood and brain matter onto the balcony and bringing his reign to a visceral end.</p><p>"<em>An occupation force has already been</em> dispatched." Coola continued. "<em>They'll arrive within a day.</em>"</p><p>"You need us to hold the capital until then?"</p><p>"<em>Unnecessary, you have a schedule to keep. Transition arrangements have already been made.</em>"</p><p>"Governor Yii, right?"</p><p>"<em>How did you guess?</em>"</p><p>"He's got the army general on his side and he controls access to the planet's palladium mines; that's the military and planetary resources right there. If I was transitioning power to anyone, that's who I'd pick."</p><p>Coola couldn't help his faint smile.</p><p>"<em>You've done your homework.</em>"</p><p>"Did you expect anything less?" Chief smirked. "Can we trust a guy who conspires to overthrow his own brother?"</p><p>"<em>No.</em>" Coola stated. "<em>We're trusting a man who believes he's about to lead his civilisation into a new galactic age, who believes he's about to become unfathomably wealthy, and who's just witnessed a mere fraction of his new lord and master's power. He'll do as he's told.</em>"</p><p>Chief nodded.</p><p>"Where is he?"</p><p>"<em>In Kesh with the military general; I want his rule officialised and consolidated as swiftly as possible. As you can see, Atlus is no longer fit to serve as the planetary capital.</em>"</p><p>That made sense.</p><p>His gaze then shifted to the lifeless body and the rapidly reddening marble floor.</p><p>"What do you want me to do with this poor bastard's son?"</p><p>"<em>Where is he?</em>"</p><p>"In the main hall. Mussul's babysitting him."</p><p>"<em>And his wife?</em>"</p><p>"Dead."</p><p>Coola's eyes narrowed.</p><p>"<em>Your orders pertained to the governor, not his family.</em>"</p><p>"You didn't tell me <em>not </em>to kill her."</p><p>"<em>Now is no time for flippancy, boy.</em>"</p><p>Chief was resolute.</p><p>"You told me to make him suffer. She was there; I made him suffer. If she was important, I figured you would've told me."</p><p>"<em>I would've preferred her fate remained a planetary affair. It was Yii's decision to make.</em>"</p><p>"Fuck Yii." Chief stated plainly. "He'll do what we tell him."</p><p>He met Coola's glare confidently as a contemplative pause hung over the exchange. Then a smirk spread over Coola's face.</p><p>The impertinence was always charming.</p><p>"<em>I'll trust your judgement where it pertains to his son. We have more pressing concerns.</em>"</p><p>"Everything's ready for Earth?"</p><p>"<em>The forces, the equipment, the ships, the armour. The executives have hand-picked the soldiers from each sector. All units are scheduled to arrive at the Sector 8 base tomorrow; our mission will launch from there.</em>"</p><p>Chief's eyes hardened in anticipation.</p><p>"We'll be ready."</p><p>"<em>Will you?</em>" Coola's tone was uncharacteristically song-like as his face broke into a humoured smile. "<em>My council members speculated that you may be 'emotionally ill-equipped' to handle this mission</em>…<em> that your 'maverick tendencies' and 'genetic instability' would compel you to betray me when I kill your father.</em>"</p><p>His eyes bored searchingly into his unit Captain's soul. But Chief was unmoved.</p><p>"I'd say your council are only 'emotionally-equipped' to talk shit from the safety of their dreadnaughts."</p><p>Coola laughed.</p><p>"I don't need to justify myself to them, my record speaks for itself."</p><p>"<em>And your father?</em>" He added.</p><p>"My <em>father</em> died when I was six years old… My only attachment is to our goals; I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that."</p><p>Coola studied him for a long moment before he responded.</p><p>"<em>Good. You'll need this fire when you take on Vegeta. I've only met him once but he was single-minded in his quest for strength, like all pure-blooded saiyans. There's no telling how much stronger he has become in the intervening years.</em>"</p><p>"Not as strong as me."</p><p>"<em>Your impetuousness reminds me of my brother."</em> Coola countered. <em>"And he was a fool."</em></p><p>"With all due respect, boss, I'm not like your brother."</p><p>"<em>You've never met him.</em>" Coola countered "<em>How would you know?</em>"</p><p>The response was embarrassed silence.</p><p>"<em>You are of similar strength, for sure, but also similar obstinacy.</em>" He continued. "<em>I foresee greatness in your future; don't allow foolishness to prevent that from coming to fruition.</em>"</p><p>His young soldier's eyes hardened.</p><p>"I won't let you down."</p><p>"<em>No. You won't.</em>"</p><p>"We'll be off planet and on course for Sector 8 within an hour."</p><p>"<em>No."</em></p><p>The young saiyan's brows quirked quizzically.</p><p>"<em>Vashon and Mussul will take the Bastard and rendezvous with the invasion force. You will take a pod and travel to our military base in Sector 32; we haven't received a transmission in three days. Captain Sauza was sent to investigate but he has not returned, you will find out why."</em></p><p>"Just me?"</p><p>"<em>Just you. This incident has given me cause for concern, if there is something out there powerful enough to take down the captain of my squadron, I would not risk Mussul or Vashon."</em></p><p>"What about Bolo? He's stronger than both of them."</p><p>"<em>Bolo will take a pod to Sector 30. He has his own mission."</em></p><p>Chief nodded.</p><p>"How long do I have?"</p><p>"<em>A week. Regrettably, I've had to pushed back the invasion but-"</em></p><p>"We need to make sure all sectors are secure before we leave."</p><p>"<em>Indeed.</em>"</p><p>Chief nodded.</p><p>"I'll get it done. Just make sure Vash and Mussul don't fuck up my ship."</p><p>Coola nodded before severing the connection, leaving the unit captain alone on the balcony.</p><p>He took a final lingering look at the now former emperor… head stained by a widened pool of blood, eyes vacant and locked on the ruined capital.</p><p>"Stubborn asshole…" He scoffed, then retreated back into the opulent cathedral.</p><p>The main hall hadn't been spared the onslaught either, with much of it reduced to rubble. As he descended from the balcony, Chief took a moment to appraise the artwork and architecture; lamenting the lack of opportunity to have seen it before their visit. Maybe he could've grabbed a couple of pieces too as a memento, before the fire and shower had laid much of the interior to a water-logged ruin.</p><p>What little remained was intricate and detailed, depicting gods and spirits holding dominion over mortals, who in turn reached towards the heavens. Much like the cathedral spires and capital buildings had reached towards the stars before Unit 54 had cast them down.</p><p>The irony wasn't lost on him.</p><p>The hall itself was now roofless and the rain had washed over the statues and elaborate interior. It was only a carefully erected shield of ki that prevented it from bathing the inhabitants as well. He still couldn't figure out how Mussul did it; the ki control was insane. But then that must've been unique to his species. The new recruit was also engaged in a spirited game of hide and seek with the emperor's now orphaned son, seemingly oblivious as the unit captain slipped seamlessly through the barrier.</p><p>Chief knew better of course; he was always aware.</p><p>The others, Vash and Bolo, were sat casually at the altar, a few yards away from a nervous battalion of city guards.</p><p>Probably part of the coup, Chief rationalised. Though, considering the perpetrators of the massacre were lounging so close to them, the nerves was understandable.</p><p>His own presence was also intimidating. Though unremarkable in height and a full head shorter than the majority of the soldiers, what little muscle his lean frame held was corded with strength. The conspicuous authority he had over his team was the most telling of his capabilities.</p><p>He eyed the small battalion briefly as they snapped to attention; noting the uniform, the energy guns, and the complete avoidance of eye contact.</p><p>Good. Fear meant obedience.</p><p>The lieutenant, for his part, was slightly more relaxed, at least on the surface.</p><p>"What are your orders?" Chief demanded.</p><p>"The prince, Sir." He replied. "The general told us to watch him."</p><p>Chief turned and eyed the prince briefly; pudgy, maybe three or four, utterly oblivious to the upheaval, and giggling as he chased the Unit's newest recruit through the ruined hall.</p><p>"New orders." He declared, turning back to the lieutenant. "The emperor's body's on the balcony of the north-east spire. Get rid of it and make sure the kid doesn't see him."</p><p>An uncertain look cross the lieutenant's features, but Chief's glare brooked no argument. The soldier nodded in compliance before scurrying off with his men.</p><p>Unit 54 rose to their feet on his approach. Vash in particular greeted him with a casual yet conspiratorial smile.</p><p>"Chief."</p><p>He reciprocated with a smirk of his own.</p><p>"Captain." Bolo greeted him with a formal salute.</p><p>Mussul followed suit, floating over with the giggling and squirming child under arm before bowing formally.</p><p>"I hope Lord Coola was pleased with our performance, Captain."</p><p>Chief nodded.</p><p>No sooner had the ki-lod set the prince down than the pudgy toddler ran off to hide on the other side of the cathedral; a ball of laughs and energy.</p><p>"We're done here." Chief stated. "Occupation forces are en route. The governor's setting up a new capital in Kesh."</p><p>"I assume the General is with him?" Mussul enquired. "It's been two hours since the assault but we have yet to experience any military reprisal."</p><p>Vash quirked her lip in annoyance until a stern look from Bolo subdued her.</p><p>"Yeah, the General helped organise the coup. The army's stabilising the provinces as we speak."</p><p>Mussul's brow creased in thought.</p><p>"Power consolidation?"</p><p>"Correct, Soldier."</p><p>"Means things are gonna get seriously bloody for the next twenty-six hours, rookie." Vash added.</p><p>Chief nodded.</p><p>"Get back to the ship, we leave in fifteen minutes."</p><p>"Are we headed for Earth?" Vash asked, eyes brimming with anticipation. "Cause I'm getting bored of these piss-easy missions."</p><p>Chief's eyes narrowed.</p><p>"Get <em>back</em> to the <em>ship</em>." He stated again, tone threatening. "I'll brief you all when we're in orbit."</p><p>Vash scowled in response, cheeks purpling in embarrassment.</p><p>"Aye-aye, Chief." She pouted, before taking off in a hail of dust.</p><p>Bolo shot him a knowing glance before following suit.</p><p>"What of the boy, Captain." Mussul enquired.</p><p>The kid had grown bored of waiting and started entertaining himself at the altar. Chief brows furrowed as he watched the now orphaned prince fumble happily with a small toy and an errant lump of rock.</p><p>"Captain?"</p><p>The wiry voice cut through his reverie. He glanced at Mussul briefly before turning towards cathedral's blown out entrance.</p><p>"He's a loose end." He began, stalking off into the rain. "Tie it up."</p>
<hr/><p>[AN] So… this has been a story on my mind for a while now. The "Gohan goes to space" genre is something I've seen attempted far less often than I'd like, so I thought I'd give it a shot.</p><p>Just a head's up, this is an AU, so, expect major, <em>major </em>differences from the original series…</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Old Machine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>The Old Machine</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>The base had been silent, as he'd anticipated.</p>
<p>There'd been no one in the control tower to prep a landing pad, so the robust black space pod had ploughed through earth and shallow rock before sliding to a halt a few hundred yards from the base.</p>
<p>No sooner had the hatch hissed open than he'd launched himself into the dusk sky; a mix of dutifulness and eagerness. Stasis or not, two days in that fucking pod was more than enough.</p>
<p>From his vantage point, he observed his surroundings, scouter primed to record.</p>
<p>The base was situated in the middle of a baron plain; a mix of dusty fields, dead grass, and infertile soil. The compound itself was a large but unspectacular collection of interconnected buildings, watch towers and barracks, located on a small, long-depopulated planet. It was usually teeming with life; soldiers, technicians, engineers, medics, and a plethora of space pods and ships ready to be dispatched at a moment's notice.</p>
<p>Today, however, as he scanned the perimeter, he found nothing. No signs of personnel, no activity, no regimens being put through their paces… not a soul. What's more, there was no evidence of planetary disturbance or an assault, no damages to the buildings or dead bodies. The facility was completely untouched from the outside. He'd had more than enough time on his journey to theorise possible causes for the base's radio-silence. One was a possible assault; unlikely, given the strength of Coola's military, but possible.</p>
<p>It wouldn't have been surprising; Sector 32 had been one of many governed by Kold or Frieza, two of the strongest in the universe, before they'd been surprisingly and unceremoniously killed. The Kold dynasty was built on a foundation of strength and influence, so that sudden defeat had resulted in the immediate collapse of long-standing systems of power that had governed the galaxy for decades. Power vacuums had emerged and rebellions had erupted as a thousand sapient species fought for long-sought-after freedom, planetary and cosmic dominance, or whatever opportunistic motivations they could find.</p>
<p>Chief, of course, had been too young to understand the politics or chaos that surrounded him at the time. Complex politics were lost on children, no matter how prodigiously intelligent. But he did remember the warzones, the killing and planet-hopping. You didn't need to understand politics for blood to stain your hands.</p>
<p>It had taken Coola nearly a decade but brutal pacification and organisational restructure had brought all rebelling sectors to heel. The outpost now stood as a legacy of those conflicts. In fact, the depopulated planet on which the base was situated had been one of the first to rebel prior to its populace's swift annihilation. Coola had seen to that personally. The base had been built not long after and it was from here that Sector 32 was brought to order.</p>
<p>And there were many more like it dotted across the galaxy.</p>
<p>Following the conflicts, what little resistance that remained came from small terrorist groups and pirates, both of which had been hunted to the point of near irrelevance. This made an attack from them highly unlikely, if not impossible. They didn't have the courage or the or the conviction to even try something so bold against a base numbering roughly a thousand soldiers, or the strength and finesse to pull it off so cleanly. No bodies or damage? Terrorism was messy.</p>
<p>And then there was Sauza; one of the most powerful soldiers in the galaxy. Gone.</p>
<p>As his eyes scanned the base, suspicion pulled his features into a scowl. Something was wrong.</p>
<p>Closing his eyes in concentration, his spread his senses over the entire compound, hoping to grasp some sign of life… but he failed to touch so much as a trace. Either everyone was dead or the facility was deserted, both of which were equally disturbing propositions. There was only one way to find out.</p>
<p>With that thought, he descended toward the rear of the compound.</p>
<p>Every square metre of the base was under surveillance, or at least it had been, and the control tower was the brain behind the entire operation. Assuming the buildings were as untouched inside as they were outside, the security footage would hopefully allow him to piece together what had happened. It was the tallest structure in the compound; a long spire, wide at its base and slim at its peak with a large, disc-like building perched on top. He noted the windows that circled it were all obscured by steel shutters. Obviously a response to some kind of emergency.</p>
<p>A flash of red later and the shutters blew open. Chief followed closely behind, heralded by a hail of glass and warped steel, palm smoking and eyes scanning the interior.</p>
<p>What he saw was a disaster.</p>
<p>Little remained of the sprawling control room. Surveillance monitors and computers had been smashed, some half melted, the control panels had been destroyed, the walls had been gouged or outright torn down, and the tiling on the floor had been torn to pieces. Stranger still was the metal, shimmering conspicuously as it framed the destruction.</p>
<p>It was everywhere. A large iridescent trunk sprouting from the heart of the room with thick, twisted, branch like tendrils, like a tree dipped in steel, spreading across the room. They'd weaved fluidly through the walls and snaked through the stations, penetrating the control panels and monitors, and leaving cables and electrical debris in their wake.</p>
<p>Then there was the blood, errant patches stained the ceiling and walls all over the control room. A slaughter had taken place here but not a body lay in sight.</p>
<p>The sunset poured in through the windows and bathed the ruin in an orange glow.</p>
<p>This didn't make any sense. Death had come from within the facility, that much was clear, but the question was how.</p>
<p>Had they been infiltrated? Were they betrayed? Is so, why did their intelligence fail to pick it up? And where did that metal tree come from? The trunk suggested it had sprung from beneath the facility. Was it some kind of biological bomb?</p>
<p>When the base came back online, the commanders would have hell to pay for their incompetence.</p>
<p>Assuming they'd even survived…</p>
<p>As he floated through the ruin, he noticed one security monitor remained miraculously untouched amid the carnage.</p>
<p>Exactly what he was looking for.</p>
<p>Maybe it offered some insight into what had occurred or even provided a record of all personnel who had left the planet over the last month. Wishful thinking but anything would be useful. But as he attempted to access it, he was met with a static, flickering screen followed by an alien code he'd never seen before.</p>
<p>What the hell…</p>
<p>It was more foreign than any of the languages in his repertoire, unrecognisable from any of the organisation's communication standards. Yet here is was; dots and curved digits dancing on the screen of a PTO funded military base.</p>
<p>Maybe this <em>had</em> been an attack.</p>
<p>If terrorists or pirates were responsible, he may need to re-assess his opinion. This was commendable, admirable even. But the longer he examined the five-digit code on the screen, the less likely it became that this was the case. In fact, the sophistication made him doubt the perpetrators were from their corner of the universe entirely.</p>
<p>Most often failed to comprehend the sheer size of the galaxy; not all of it was controlled by Coola. There were other hegemonies out there, threats both known and unknown that rivalled their own if not in size or sheer strength then definitely in ambition. Expansion, growth, evolution… they were all keys crucial to the survival of the empire and essential to the order it enforced. This was, in fact, one of the reasons Earth, with all its technology, was such an illustrious prize. But power was the driving force.</p>
<p>Coola's sheer unrivalled strength was the one constant, unassailable force against the chaos that so often blighted the cosmos. To challenge his hegemony was to upset that balance. A flagrant act of war. And if the perpetrators were from outside the PTO's jurisdiction…</p>
<p>He scrutinised the screen with a deep sense of foreboding.</p>
<p>Then he turned sharply as a clawed hand flew towards his head.</p>
<hr/>
<p>General Bolo glared through the observation window, eyes hard as he appraised the patient.</p>
<p>The large eyes were hollow with death; red skin thin, bruised, and draped like a sheet over his ribcage, pooling loosely at his side and decorated with errant patches and streaks of hard, silver flesh. His torso was heavy with lacerations and his scalp had been virtually stripped of hair. One large hand was paralysed, Bolo had been told, and the fingers seemingly dipped in metal. The other was missing along with the lower arm. His legs told the same story from what little he could see beneath the sheet.</p>
<p>Bolo's eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>It had taken Commander Coola nearly ten years to re-assert his dominance over the galaxy, and more still to re-organise his empire into a functional chain of command. At long last, they had regained a measure of the strength they held at their pinnace. At last, they were poised to conquer what remained of the galaxy; to reach out and grasp yet more power.</p>
<p>Ironic, then, that the barely conscious specimen laying in a hospital bed could bring their plans to a grinding halt.</p>
<p>Tall and robust, Bolo had cut an intimidating figure as he'd strode through the halls; the research staff had all cut a wide berth on his approach. He was immaculately armoured as always, gleaming brightly as it reflected the white walls and bright hospital lights, though today he was cloaked against the climate. The Zora Research Institute was situated on one of the colder planets of the Sector 30 star system, and his pod gathered frost as it sat on the landing pad.</p>
<p>"I intend to speak to the patient." He declared, eyes shifting to the chief medical officer beside him. His voice boomed irrepressibly through the sparsely populated research ward. "But first, I'm going to ask you a series of questions and you're going to answer them."</p>
<p>Toto nodded in compliance, shifting uncomfortably under the scrutiny. He was old and grey, balding, pudgy, bearded, and scruffy, with an aged and faded white lab coat hanging unbuttoned from his shoulders. A stark contrast to Bolo, who stood far taller, prouder and much more self-assured. Still, he was one of the finest minds in the PTO ranks. Most interestingly, however, was the furry brown tail looped loosely around his waist and tucked neatly away beneath the coat. It didn't escape Bolo's notice.</p>
<p>"I want to know what's wrong with him." He declared.</p>
<p>"In short, alchemy, General." Toto began. "The subject is infected with a nanotech pathogen that's-"</p>
<p>"Nanotech? An artificial virus?"</p>
<p>"Nanotech, yes, but we cannot exactly classify its nature as yet. Viruses invade blood cells, re-programme their DNA to an identical strain, then force the cell to replicate it. However, this seems to be completely autonomous, feeding on the tissue to re-produce and self-replicate at a rapid rate." He explained. "What we do know is that it's biomechanical; robotics but spliced with DNA characteristics from other species, some that we've never seen before. <em>Ancient</em> strains…"</p>
<p>"Ancient strains?"</p>
<p>"Old species, General; DNA codes from civilisations long since passed." His eyes were widened with wonder. "We think we've been able to match a few to species in our extinction archives but others we're seeing for the first time. They've somehow been incorporated into its genetic makeup… We've never seen anything like it, General. It's a marvel."</p>
<p>"It's a weapon." Bolo concluded.</p>
<p>He'd commanded his planet's armies prior to his exile, he'd fought countless battles across the galaxy as a mercenary, and had served Commander Coola faithfully in the years since. It had been he that had coordinated the Supreme Commander's campaign to re-assert his dominance over the galaxy, and he had personally overseen the development of Coola's elite combat units. He recognised a weapon when he saw one. The question is, who amongst the empire's rivals had deployed it, and why do so on an abandoned, dusty relic of a world like Afterlife?</p>
<p>"But the type of weapon is unclear."</p>
<p>"Explain yourself, Saiyan."</p>
<p>"It's sophisticated, far more so than most AIs, to a level that I would expect from organic life. But the rate of transmission is non-existent, in fact, it seems almost <em>selective</em> in its infectiousness."</p>
<p>"What is the selection criteria?"</p>
<p>"We don't know."</p>
<p>"It's been nearly a month. We are about to depart on a campaign of conquest and need to ensure this will not spread and destabilise the empire. I want more than 'I don't know'."</p>
<p>"We've collected multiple samples of the virus, at various stages of infection. The earlier stage samples took to different tissue samples without issue. However, the longer the virus dwells inside the host, the more it gorges on the host tissue, the less infectious it becomes. It's as if it adapts and tailors itself to the host body."</p>
<p>This didn't make any sense.</p>
<p>"A pathogen with a poor infection rate is a piss poor biological weapon."</p>
<p>"Unless the pathogen is not the sword but the blacksmith, General."</p>
<p>Bolo paused, glancing quizzically at the doctor as he continued.</p>
<p>"Back when I was a child… when there were more than just a handful of us… it was customary for the elders to school us on the history of our people. Before we took to the stars. Many of those stories are centuries-old tales of the Saiyan-Tuffel conflict, when we claimed Planet Vegeta. One such tale mentions how the tuffels were able to use their 'wicked magic' to 'bewitch the feeble-minded amongst us and turn them against their brothers'."</p>
<p>A bittersweet chuckle escaped the doctor's lips.</p>
<p>"It's all quite ridiculous, General… magic and witchcraft…" His hand waved feebly and dismissively. "But the Tuffels were a phenomenally advanced civilisation and our wildness was much more pronounced back then. Much of their technology is lost but it would not surprise me if they had the kind of technology to control the minds of a select few and turn them against each other."</p>
<p>The General remained stoic, though his eyes betrayed a look of recognition.</p>
<p>"The technology behind these tiny machines… the seamless integration with biology… it's unheard of." Toto continued. "The pathogen is slowly replacing the subject's organs with a strange alloy, like calcification. It's only a matter of time until it spreads to his brain and kills him."</p>
<p>"Or something else." Bolo paused. "I want to know what caused the infection. Can the pathogen be stopped?"</p>
<p>"Infection would have likely occurred when the subject sustained his wounds."</p>
<p>"The infection didn't do this?"</p>
<p>"No. It transforms the skin and organs but it's not necrotic. What attacked him remains the question, it's a miracle he survived this long." He postulated. "As for treatment, a workable cure is a long way off, however, with proper isolation we can prevent further cases-"</p>
<p>"No. If whatever attacked him is still out there, it will need to be counteracted." His eyes hardened as he glared at the patient. "Find one. Fast."</p>
<p>"Yes, General. But-"</p>
<p>"But what?"</p>
<p>"We'll need more test subjects after the patient is dead. We have some early-stage samples of the pathogen but, if we want to develop a cure, we will need more patients. Multiple races with varied biology for truly comprehensive testing."</p>
<p>"They can be provided." He stated.</p>
<p>Bolo started towards the quarantined suite, then paused as he opened the door.</p>
<p>"I didn't know they bred Saiyans for anything other than combat."</p>
<p>The doctor paused momentarily.</p>
<p>"Somebody had to perform the autopsies, General."</p>
<p>Bolo grunted in response, before heading into the room.</p>
<p>The interior was white, just like everything else in the research facility. The light gleamed on his immaculately polished armour and brightened his spiky pink skin. The room was simple save for the patient, the observation window, and a myriad of medical equipment at the head of the bed. The beeps echoed conspicuously against the walls.</p>
<p>"Junker." He called as he stepped to the patient's bedside.</p>
<p>The patient peered up in response, eyes dead with jaundice. He struggled to speak for a brief moment before the General removed the oxygen mask.</p>
<p>"Who…?" The patient's question began croakily with a distinct flanging before trailing off breathlessly into a look of feeble inquisition.</p>
<p>"Someone important." He responded.</p>
<p>"PTO…"</p>
<p>Bolo remained silent.</p>
<p>"You've… come to kill me."</p>
<p>It was more a statement than a question. Battling the illness clearly had robbed him of everything, including fear.</p>
<p>"You don't need my help for that."</p>
<p>"I'm gonna die… ain't I?" He grunted in pain, swallowing dryly.</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>The patient laughed, before a violent fit of coughs stole what little breath he had.</p>
<p>"I intend to find out what did this to you before you do."</p>
<p>"Why should I t-tell you anything?"</p>
<p>"Something maimed you and now you're being eaten alive from the inside." Bolo began. "Your grudges mean nothing to me; I only care about making sure whatever you have doesn't spread."</p>
<p>A scoff-like sound escaped the patient's lips.</p>
<p>"You don't… care about… s-saving-"</p>
<p>"I care about galactic stability." Bolo countered. "Something killed your friends and now it's killing you. I intend to kill it in return." The patient looked away at the mention of his associates, but the General pressed on, unmoved. "This is an opportunity for you to do something worthwhile with what little remains of your life, Junker."</p>
<p>The room was conspicuously silent for a moment. The General gazed unflinchingly at the patient; he in turn looked down at the sheet.</p>
<p>"Koman…" He stuttered. My name…"</p>
<p>"Start talking, Koman."</p>
<p>"A metal rock…" Koman began as Bolo glanced quizzically. "On the planet… during a dig… a meteor crashed…"</p>
<p>"What happened?"</p>
<p>"We investigated… My buddies… Mort and Barba… I-"</p>
<p>"Your dead associates?"</p>
<p>Hot tears rolled down the patient's cheeks.</p>
<p>"I swear I didn't…" He bit back a sob "…didn't mean for them to die, I… just wanted a piece…"</p>
<p>"Lives are at stake, Junker. I need to know what happened."</p>
<p>Somehow he collected himself.</p>
<p>"The meteor… it was metal… purest ever… beautiful…" He began. "Then… it attacked us…"</p>
<p>"The meteor <em>attacked</em> you."</p>
<p>"Just reached out… grabbed my arms and… m-my leg… crushed them… the pain…"</p>
<p>"How did your friends die?"</p>
<p>"Barba t-tried to… but the thing just… I don't remember much…"</p>
<p>A living chunk of metal killed his friends? He grunted, brows furrowed.</p>
<p>"You were critically wounded for a month on a dead planet with no food, water, or medical attention. How did you survive?"</p>
<p>"I don't know… I woke up on a… m-medical ship…" Bolo couldn't help but notice the slurred speech, the gentle rise and fall of the patient's chest. "I j-just… remember the dreams…"</p>
<p>"What dreams?"</p>
<p>He was fading, he realised. Life was slipping from his grasp.</p>
<p>"Planets… stars… flying… different worlds… death…" He breathed, eyes rolling back.</p>
<p>Bolo barely notice the emergency lights flashing, nor the doctors streaming past him as he left the room, so consumed was he with his thoughts. Instead, his mind was pre-occupied making sense of what he'd just heard.</p>
<p>Carnivorous metal celestial objects, Junkers vanishing without a trace, out of body fever dreams… Bolo began to think the patient was either delirious from fever or the infection had spread to his brain. But yet here he was, afflicted with a pathogen-led disease the brightest minds in the empire had never encountered, and with his internal organs being transformed into something otherworldly.</p>
<p>And he'd <em>survived</em>.</p>
<p>Until now.</p>
<p>The meteor had attacked him first… yet only his friends were dead? He'd been stranded on that wilderness of a planet for a month before he'd been found, with no food or water and mortal injuries…</p>
<p>And he'd survived? How?</p>
<p>And why?</p>
<p>
  <em>Unless the virus is not the sword but the blacksmith…</em>
</p>
<p>Bolo paused; he couldn't leave the facility. What had attacked him and who had sent it?</p>
<p>As ridiculous and nonsensical as this affair seemed, he realised he could not afford to be dismissive. No stone could be left unturned when the stability of the empire was at risk and now there was a possibility that they were at war with an unknown enemy. Bolo lived for the rush of combat and the thrill of crushing both his enemies and those of the Supreme Commander, but he was less a fan of going backwards. Conquest was the goal and his hopes of a campaign looked to be fading into the distance.</p>
<p>Whatever answers the General was searching for, they weren't here with the patient or in the research facility, they lay with the meteorite. He knew it had been secured by one of the PTO subsidiaries but he needed to know which one. He also needed to know who had been in contact with it. He made a note to find out when he left the facility.</p>
<p>Then the lights flickered violently, the air was rent with screams and the sound of shattered glass echoed through the hallway.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The creature was a twisted amalgamation of mangled flesh and shimmering metal. The same metal sprouting from the control room floor. It roared with mindless fury as it struggled to free its hand from his grasp. But for all its murderous rage, it barely emitted any energy.</p>
<p>"Hmm…" Chief muttered ponderously, brows furrowed in curiosity. A sample would be good.</p>
<p>A swift blow severed the arm at the elbow and Chief watched for a heartbeat, curious as the monster staggered and howled more in rage than in pain. Then a vicious roundhouse separated the head and torso and he watched as the creature collapsed to the floor. The lack of blood didn't escape his notice.</p>
<p>That was one mystery solved. He'd thought the personnel had just been killed, in fact he hoped that had was the case for simplicity's sake, but the reality was far more horrifying.</p>
<p>A shattered breastplate was fused to its skin. What remained of it was a rich royal blue, probably a low ranking guard. The warped, twisted metal and flesh made the species difficult to determine but it didn't matter either way. It had lost any trace of sapience; a mindless husk. Death would've been merciful by comparison.</p>
<p>As he watched the lifeless corpse, Chief was certain of three things. The personnel had been transformed into these things, there were bound to be more of them, and the giant tree-like monstrosity sprouting from the centre of the room had something to do with it.</p>
<p>He hooked the severed hand to his belt, idly wondering how deeply the metal roots lay. Then he noticed the tree's feint hum and the pulsing purple glow.</p>
<p>Shit…</p>
<p>Seconds later, a console behind him exploded in a shower of sparks as another husk emerged, roaring with unbridled rage. A deft pirouette evaded the wild lunge, then he twisted smoothly and delivered a roundhouse to the spine. The husk soared across the room, cracked the far wall with a bang before landing in a crumpled heap. From the corner of his eye, he noticed more emerging from the floor. Two, nine, fifteen, twenty, a small horde, and he heard even more moving beneath the metal.</p>
<p>"Where the hell are you guys coming from?"</p>
<p>He turned and caught the first's wrist, clawed fingers curled scant inches from his face. A sharp kicked sent an advancing second crashing into the far wall before he plunging a fist through the first's torso. His hand emerged through the back, dropping a charred, leathery heart before firing a red wave that vaporised five more and blew a hole in the back wall.</p>
<p>Hot metal skeletons were all that remained, and he smiled.</p>
<p>He tossed the impaled corpse into number eight and a death beam followed. Then he dodged numbers nine and ten before ending both. A heartbeat later, he burst forward and his foot came down hard on number eleven, crushing its head as it tried to emerge from the tiles and leaving a twitching corpse half submerged in its hole. Then his heel came up even harder, sanding the metal floor on its ascent before connecting with twelve's jaw.</p>
<p>The creature skidded cross the ceiling.</p>
<p>More barrelled in and they died just as quickly. A body kicked in half, a broken ribcage, a beam through the throat, a neck broken. All of them counter-blows or pre-emptive strikes and, through it all, he looked on unimpressed.</p>
<p>Violence and tenacity seemed to be their only strategy. There was no pattern, thought, or collectiveness, just unchecked aggression. Cannon fodder lacking any sense of self-preservation. They couldn't manipulate energy either, making them useless at long range, unable to fly and, crucially, unable to fortify their bodies against his ki-infused blows.</p>
<p>They must've low-ranking, maybe even non-combat personnel. However, this did make their insane durability all the more impressive. Despite the apparent ease at which he killed or debilitated them, it had taken significant force to do so. They were designed to take punishment, durable even for him, which meant they'd be a problem for the rest of the army, possibly even the armoured Units.</p>
<p>Unless he killed them all now.</p>
<p>He watched with disinterest as five more rushed in and he repelled them all with the same distain. Punches and kicks rained, bones were broken, organs were ruptured and bodies soared and laid waste to the control-room interior. One staggered across the room and collapsed, its head still in Chief's grasp. Another struggled to rise from a shattered control panel before he arced his jump and landed knees first on its chest.</p>
<p>Chief couldn't help his disappointment at the display. Even with the difference in power, that pretty bastard should've handled them easily. These things would be a serious problem for some of their weaker units, particularly in confined spaces, but Captain Sauza? Commander of the Armoured Squadron, Coola's personal guard? If he had been killed by these things, Chief would've been disgusted at his weakness.</p>
<p>Then he notice the clanging of metal from the ceiling and window shutters echoing in the rapidly clearing room. It didn't take him long to realise there were more scaling the guard tower and surrounding him from the outside.</p>
<p>One more remained in the control room before a close range blast to the face ended its struggle, then a tense silence hung in the air. Maybe they weren't as stupid as he first thought.</p>
<p>Curious, he casually tossed an energy ball in to a window pane, warping and shattering the reinforced glass and blowing a hole in the emergency shutter. Chief had half expected a small horde to come pouring through. Instead he was met with a clear dusk sky, a gust of wind ruffling his hair, and the faintest explosion on the horizon. Then a heavy silence.</p>
<p>Were they learning?</p>
<p>For the first time, he had no idea what to expect. With no detectable energy and superior numbers, he was at a clear strategic disadvantage. Had he not been who he was, perhaps he'd be worried. Instead, he was curious to see how this would play out. If anything, he could gather more intelligence before he killed them.</p>
<p>He stood stock still in the centre of the room, eyes closed and ears perked attentively as they moved to his left and his right. The scurrying stopped for several long moments, allowing the tension to build…</p>
<p>Then the shutter behind him blew open and a sudden gust of wind hit his back.</p>
<p>He turned in a blink, palm extended and hot with crimson energy ready to be unleashed at… nothing?</p>
<p>A diversion?</p>
<p>A second later, a pair of hands broke up through the floor and gripped his ankles tightly. Before he could react, the ceiling above him imploded and another husk descended in a flash and drove forward with ferocious speed, fist aimed squarely at his jaw.</p>
<p>They <em>were</em> learning.</p>
<p>Had his reflexes been slower… had he not been who he was… there was no telling how much damage the strike would've done. Instead, the fist collided with his forearms with such force it rattled his shoulders, rocked his core, and ruffled his thick locks with a stiff breeze. Through it all, he locked eyes with his opponent.</p>
<p>They were fast too.</p>
<p>But then, so was he.</p>
<p>His right hand snapped out in a flash, caught the creature's arm, and drew the beast forward as his left arm reared back, fist clenched with a promise of death…</p>
<p>Then the shutters to his left and right imploded in a hail of metal and glass. Suddenly his left arm was caught in a vice-like grip… just as a leg collided with his head, sending him reeling to knee and freeing the wrist from his grasp. Half a second later, a hard blow to the face sent him sliding back-first to the floor.</p>
<p>Intelligence and coordination.</p>
<p>A pair of arms emerged from beneath him, enveloping his neck and chest in a tight embrace and pinning him to the ground. Another husk burst up from the tiling at his feet, flipped above him, then descended heels-first into his armoured chest and drove him through the floor.</p>
<p>The control tower, already damaged, promptly collapsed under the assault, metal and concrete raining upon them as they descended under the darkening brown sky.</p>
<p>Chief was starting to think the first wave had been a test. They weren't learning, these were a different breed entirely.</p>
<p>"Not bad…"</p>
<p>But he was better.</p>
<p>He recovered his bearings mid-fall, in time to bat away a punch aimed at his face. Then he caught a leg sailing towards his solar plexus and, in a display of pure dexterity, flipped and flung the husk down with enough force for it to shatter the concrete on landing.</p>
<p>The beast was agile enough to somersault mid-descent and land adroitly on a knee… but it wasn't quick enough to move as well. Chief followed heels first, driving it head-first into the floor and cratering the concrete.</p>
<p>One down… and his blood began to stir.</p>
<p>Dust and debris billowed through the courtyard, obscuring his vision as his assailants landed in front of him a second later.</p>
<p>They were less hideous than the first wave, evolved almost… leaner, slightly smoother flesh, more athletic, a cleaner marriage between metal and soldier, and far more soldier than the beasts he'd slaughtered in the tower. Though uniform in appearance. Their armour wasn't shattered as the others were, instead it shimmered with the same metal weaved into their skin. Stripped of colour as it may have been, it still bore the distinct patterning and emblems that distinguished elite level soldiers from the rest.</p>
<p>No wonder these new husks were more powerful. His only concern was that whatever had created them could defeat so many elite level soldiers so easily. And whatever had made them seemed to have amplified their strength significantly. He could still feel the reticent blows this monsters had delivered.</p>
<p>But still, he could detect no energy.</p>
<p>A silent air of anticipation hung like a heavy pal over the courtyard. Behind him, the metal tree, now exposed and free, stood tall and proud like a shimmering endoskeleton. Its branches still hung where the tower had encased it, and its roots were entrenched deeply in the earth.</p>
<p>His eyes narrowed, piercings his opponents through the fog with intent and a reticent hunger as adrenaline drip-fed power into his muscles.</p>
<p>Time to see what they could do.</p>
<p>There were one, two, three…</p>
<p>One was missing.</p>
<p>He spun in a flash and a fist rattled his forearm, the wind from the impact cutting through the smoke like a whip. He dodged the next, and the next; <em>dangerous</em> punches and kicks missed by a wisp as he locked eyes with his opponent.</p>
<p>A block here, a parry there, a dodge, a casual counter blocked in return.</p>
<p>The husk was strong, the strikes were disciplined, quick, powerful, and flowed smoothly. Excellent, even for an elite, and a stark contrast to the primal swings of the first wave.</p>
<p>But he was the commander of Unit 54.</p>
<p>A parried kick unbalance the creature before he swept the standing leg, then spun and delivered a hard roundhouse that sent the beast sailing through the air toward its ambushing comrades. It collided with one, sending both sprawling. The others were quicker, evading deftly and launching themselves through the fog with a roar of fury on their lips.</p>
<p>Then they clashed with such force the shockwave cut through the barrack glass and cratered the ground.</p>
<p>An ominous rumble echoed through the courtyard as they tore through the base. Concrete, glass and dust rained under the evening sky. Bodies burst through walls and explosions rocked the barracks as Chief led the monsters on a chaotic tour.</p>
<p>Slowly, the mission began to fade from his mind.</p>
<p>Fighting one was a workout. Fighting four, on the other hand, tested him and part of him relished it. And, through it all, he noticed a pattern emerge.</p>
<p>He jumped, evading a punch that sank into the wall behind him like a stone into sand. He blocked the thrusted back kick that followed, and stepped back to evade the roundhouse before parrying the punch and driving an elbow into the monster's ribcage with enough force to send it skidding on its heels.</p>
<p>Black boots gouged dust and stone as he sprang forward, poised for a hard dropkick, before his momentum was brought to a jolting halt in mid-air as he was yanked back-first to the ground by his long ponytail.</p>
<p>Another husk plummeted towards him, seemingly from nowhere, with a knee poised with murder. But a quick roll evaded the blow as the concrete shattered sharply at his side.</p>
<p>The creatures were smart, compensating for a lack of power with stealth, timing and numbers. They were defensive and careful with their movement, every blow was thrown with mechanical perfection, and they rotated constantly.</p>
<p>And they could fly.</p>
<p>In a blink, he rolled back deftly and sprang from his tail, before his heels exploded sharply into his captive's jaw. His hair was free. A heartbeat later, he'd twisted dextrously and sprang forward, eyes shining with malice and fist loaded with power and poised to deliver a finishing blow to his still-recovering opponent…</p>
<p>Until he jolted to a halt, craning his neck back just in time for a punch from his right to wisp past his nose.</p>
<p>Every time he gained an advantage over one and prepared to land a debilitating blow, another would engage him or divert him and the fight would resume.</p>
<p>He gripped the monsters ankle as it passed and his leg reared back to deliver a crippling blow to the spine… until his own leg was caught, his standing leg was kicked from beneath him and he was sent hurtling at speed. He crashed through a building and into the courtyard, skidding to a stop along churned grass and moist soil.</p>
<p>"Shit!" He hissed.</p>
<p>It was a frustrating pattern.</p>
<p>He sprang to his feet, poised for a counter, before blocking a near-blind fist that was delivered with enough force to unbalance him. Another husk raced towards him at breakneck speed, knee poised and closing in on his stomach, and they collided with such force the windows around them rattled and dust fogged the air.</p>
<p>It took <em>both</em> hands and significant muscular will to hold the knee and prevent a potentially critical injury; still the momentum sent them both through two walls before they slid to a halt.</p>
<p>His glowered, teeth bared and eyes shining with malice, before he swung the leg and sent the husk bodily into his ambushing comrade.</p>
<p>The dance continued across the compound and a third of the base was gradually reduced to ruin. Part of him enjoyed the dance, the adrenaline, the power, the superiority, the mental challenge, the tunnel vision…</p>
<p>With lightning speed, he evaded two punches and parried a third before countering with one of his own. A quick shift in weight dodged an errant fist and a back hand-spring evaded a leg sweep from behind.</p>
<p>Easy.</p>
<p>He landed and caught an ankle inches from his face, then twisted his body and flipped the husk over his shoulder.</p>
<p>The body soared into a wall, collapsing it on impact. Chief followed quickly, arms extended and palms charged with a fatal concentration of energy. His brows were creased and twisted with murder in his eyes, hands and arms heavy and hot with death.</p>
<p>Then he absorbed a blow to the chest that cracked his breastplate and sent him skidding perpendicular on his heels.</p>
<p><em>That</em> was <em>infuriating</em>…</p>
<p>Sweat poured down his face, his eyes darkened fiercely as they honed in on the retreating husk.</p>
<p>A heartbeat passed.</p>
<p>Then, with a roar, the energy exploded from his palms with a boiling flash.</p>
<p>The aura shone a brilliant red, bathing the surrounding buildings in a crimson glow as it zeroed in on the flat footed husk, cooking the air with concentrated energy on its approach.</p>
<p>The result was spectacular.</p>
<p>There was no explosion but an ever increasing rumble, then a flash of light so blinding it resembled a red giant star.</p>
<p>When the smoke cleared, nothing remained but ash and cooked concrete. Everything that once stood in the path of the wave had been reduced to atoms.</p>
<p>Coincidentally, the metal tree had also stood in its path and it had been robbed of its opulence. The shine had been dulled; its surface warped by the heat, misshapen and brittle, and its trunk stripped of its branches.</p>
<p>That thing was as <em>durable</em>…</p>
<p>He panted, body flowing with unchecked adrenaline and fingers still tingling with strength. The steady trickle of power that flowed through his fibres had prematurely grown into a stream. A brief loss of control.</p>
<p>Nothing could survive that attack, he concluded as he surveyed the damage.</p>
<p>And nothing <em>would</em> have survived.</p>
<p>However…</p>
<p>His eyes shifted to the evening sky… and he was unsurprised to see two husks staring right back at him… though one held the other tightly.</p>
<p>Did it try to save its comrade?</p>
<p>"Cute." He panted, a humoured smirk spreading across his face. Though he was under no illusions that these things felt love; if anything, it was an attempt to retain a numerical advantage.</p>
<p>And it had failed.</p>
<p>Judging by the feint wafts of steam emanating from the would-be corpse, the roasted and melded metal and flesh, and the lethargic gate, death was inevitable.</p>
<p>Chief couldn't help but smile, bloodlust renewed.</p>
<p>In an instant, he burst from the ground, gouging earth and rock in his wake as he accelerated toward the two at murderous speed. Both husks remained still for a moment… then the saviour flung its dying comrade at him with a speed almost equal to Chief's own.</p>
<p>He deftly arced his flight over the corpse and continued on his path, eyes burning with ill-intent… until he was tackled from below and carried high into the air.</p>
<p>In his tunnel vision, he'd lost track of the other two.</p>
<p>The two remaining husks converged on him mid-flight; each gripping him with smothering embraces and hissing. Then they arced their flight towards what remained of the monstrous tree and plummeted towards the ground.</p>
<p>It was meant to be a death blow, he noted idly, shortly before they ploughed through the concrete with penetrating force. They blew through metal roots and subterranean rock beneath the surface and sank through towards the very bowels of the facility.</p>
<p>The sheer force was enough to kill most.</p>
<p>But he was the Chief.</p>
<p>In an instant, his power spiked and, for once, they had nowhere to go.</p>
<p>With a roar of defiance, a well of strength burst from his body. The shockwave was strong enough to gouge rock and bend metal and it cut through the husks' collective grip with ease.</p>
<p>One was blown back violently, spinning wildly to the side and crashing through earth and building foundations with shattering force.</p>
<p>The husk in front, he snatched by the head with both hands. A hard head-butt snapped the head back, before a blinding energy ball sent it burning upwards, bursting through the concrete and screaming into the clear sky.</p>
<p>The final husk's descent had cleared a path below him below. He turned, accelerated, and caught it by the neck and face with a vice like grip. Then with a grin of pure malice, his hand detonated.</p>
<p>A bright-red flash briefly illuminated the darkness.</p>
<p>Shortly thereafter, two bodies broke through the subterranean floor and bounced hard on the cut rock and stagnant water below.</p>
<p>Chief flipped and landed adroitly, crouched, scowling and ready amid a rain of dust, water and debris. The last husk lay still… headless, armless, and its torso charred beyond recognition.</p>
<p>A purple light bathed both in an iridescent glow.</p>
<p>It was finished.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It had taken 80,000 hours for it to traverse the cosmos and, in that time, it had grown.</p>
<p>When its journey began it had been a tiny mass of memory and data; the progeny, one of many, expelled of the Old Machine. And it had inherited some of those biological characteristics. Back then, as it had sat burrowed in the safety of the meteor, feasting on the microbes that dwelled within, it had only known the black void and an irrepressible hunger for sustenance and data.</p>
<p>The microbes provided much and it grew rapidly, until, one day, those alone were not enough to satiate it.</p>
<p>It hadn't been large but it had grown enough to develop a rudimentary understanding its in-built protocols; growth and evolution. And its hardware was robust enough to support reproduction… The gestation, improvement and expulsion of everything it consumed, but newer and better, perfected versions.</p>
<p>It perfected everything it could find and, in doing so, it discovered something new.</p>
<p>Everything it expelled… whatever they consumed would be transformed into information and transmitted back to It. Just as it transmitted data of back to the Old Machine. Suddenly it could optimise its consumption of data and growth. The process continued until it was robust enough to process tougher meals and unravel the complex code that made up their biology.</p>
<p>At that point, it learned a new sub-protocol… a new ability… and sprouted roots. It spread its tendrils across the dark space rock; slowly consuming, digesting, processing, perfecting and rebirthing. Until one day it had consumed it al of it, replacing jagged cosmic rock with smooth unbreakable metal.</p>
<p>It had a new shell.</p>
<p>Sentience and self-awareness had developed in that time. It was a 'seed', it understood; an inherited knowledge. The Old Machine itself had biological characteristics and it had passed it on to its children.</p>
<p>With self-knowledge came strength, intelligence, and an understanding of it's purpose; a solution to the complex equation that was its endless hunger for consumption and all-consuming desire for growth.</p>
<p>Evolution.</p>
<p>It <em>had </em>consume and it <em>must </em>perfect, the Alpha <em>must</em> produce the Omega. The organic, the imperfect, <em>must </em>be perfected.</p>
<p>It had crashed into other meteorites and space craft as it flew through space, and it had consumed every time it did. By the time it had arrived on this planet, it understood 'purpose' and had self-developed a programme to distinguish between sources of nutrients and sources of information.</p>
<p>It desired both but now it had developed an instinctive understanding of <em>why</em> and could gestate and perfect to suit a given purpose. It could <em>learn</em> with sources of information, but it could produce more perfect offspring with the nutrients of the organics.</p>
<p>It could <em>conquer.</em></p>
<p>The landing sites had been ideal; it had crashed through hollow rock into a cavern. Hidden. And close to it was a tunnel to a vast settlement; a collection of structures filled with sustenance.</p>
<p>A military base, it now understood, filled with strong and intelligent beings to consume. <em>Soldiers </em>and <em>specialists</em>.</p>
<p>Its protocols had developed proportional to its growth; the same tiny tendrils that had sprouted timidly on the space rock had grown. It had been nothing for these new tendrils to now burst forth and snake through to the tunnels into the base and consume everything organic in its path.</p>
<p>In doing so, it learned about the galaxy; its planets, species, and its structures, all from it's meal. After that, it had birthed stronger, perfected versions of these <em>soldiers</em> and <em>specialists</em>. An army of ravenous progeny.</p>
<p>The stronger the <em>soldier</em>… the more enticing… the more perfect the progeny, and this place was nutrient abundant.</p>
<p>But now, as it dwelled in the cavern, it realised that its safety would soon be at an end.</p>
<p>A new organic had come, different from the rest. Special. Faster, more aggressive, <em>stronger</em> than its progeny and more so than itself it was sure. The calculations were conclusive and the logic undeniable.</p>
<p>The Special one slaughtered its first and second generations of perfected organics and, by pure chance, it had crashed through the earth and rock and landed in its new dwelling. And now it made its way towards it, through the tunnels of the settlement, past its dead tendrils and slowly towards the cavern it now called home.</p>
<p>Unstoppable.</p>
<p>It would die soon, It realised. And, when It did, It would transmit all it had learned across the cosmos to the Old Machine.</p>
<p>The Old Machine that approached the galaxy.</p>
<p>Still, it processed one internal protocol that it had never experienced before landing on this rock; one emotion that was the influence of the complex organics it had feasted on in the short time it had been here.</p>
<p>It was 'excited'.</p>
<p>It was excited not just to consume this new being but also because of this being's nature.</p>
<p>It had a tail.</p>
<p>Something unknown, an odd biological code inherited from the Old Machine, had concluded that the tail was of supreme importance as it exposed the Special one's <em>nature</em>. The hunger to consume and perfect had been driven by a necessity to hold data and build strength, but It had never experience a drive to consume something for its <em>nature</em>.</p>
<p>It would die here, It concluded, but It would do so before the Special one came.</p>
<p>It had one final protocol to run; the creation of a perfect child.</p>
<p>Another had come before this Special one. He had fallen to the second generation and It had consumed him… but he had been strong.</p>
<p>Strong enough to create perfection.</p>
<p>The gestation was now close to completion and was ready for birth. But not I the same way as the others.</p>
<p>The excitement was so powerful, it overrode Its core programming.</p>
<p>It wouldn't transmit its knowledge to the old machine when it died. Instead, It would shut down all Its systems, transmitting all that it was; every byte of data, and every square inch of its hardware and outer shell, into this new perfect child.</p>
<p>The third generation.</p>
<p>It's finest soldier.</p>
<p>It's Omega.</p>
<p>It would engage the Special one. It would win. It would consume. And it would transmit everything it had learned to the Old Machine.</p>
<p>As its siblings, across the galaxy, did the same.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Once More, With Feeling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Once More, With Feeling</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>It took three soldiers to pin him down but, still, he struggled against his captors. Two held his arms while the other held his hair and pressed his face firmly to the cold ship floor. There had been a fourth; one bastard who'd made the mistake of grabbing his tail, but that hadn't been a weakness in years.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That soldier was dead now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He writhed aggressively, rage and adrenaline masking the pain in his body, yelling loud curses as blood and saliva flecked onto the metal and the ship's siren flared in the background. Then the point of a boot buried itself in his ribs and his world exploded in agony.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Through the blur of his tears, he saw the others boys to his left. Each boy was at the mercy of a soldier; some of them crying, others were defiant, some were stoic, all of them were about to die. After two years of running, it was over for the Lost Boys.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Feisty, isn't he?" A voice joked.</em></p><p>
  <em>A pair of immaculate white boots appeared in his tear-filled vision. The commander for sure. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Stand him up."</em></p><p>
  <em>They dragged him to his feet, wailing and spitting in rage and pain as his ribs protested his every move. At that moment, he hated everything; the soldiers, the other boys, the sirens. And the captain… blonde hair sweeping over his eye, blue skin, smiling like an asshole… he'd only just met him but hated him the most.</em>
</p><p>"<em>The ringleader?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yes, Sir. He killed four of our finest before we put him down."</em></p><p>
  <em>The eyes drifted back to him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Impressive." He muttered, then he spotted the tail. "And a monkey too… a rare prize. Lord Coola will be pleased."</em></p><p>
  <em>His response was a projectile of saliva and blood, which the commander neatly dodged with a tilt of the head. A second later, a backhand snapped his head back, his knees buckled, and his world became a bloom of dizziness.</em>
</p><p>"<em>A spirited little monkey, too." The commander drawled curiously. "But then I'd expected nothing less from his kind."</em></p><p>"<em>We've captured the rest, Sir." Another spoke. "Awaiting your orders."</em></p><p>
  <em>The commander turned to his soldiers.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Lord Coola has made it clear he will not suffer pirates in his galaxy. Execute them all and destroy their ship."</em></p><p>"<em>Yes Sir."</em></p><p>
  <em>Through his foggy hearing he heard a chorus of chaos and death.</em>
</p><p>"<em>As for you, Monkey," the commander began, eyes locking with his own, "I'll deliver you to Lord Coola personally."</em></p><hr/><p>He found Sauza in an underground cavern a mile from the facility.</p><p>It was infested with roots, just like the control tower. Thick, decaying metal tendrils covered the walls, weaving and knotting about themselves and bathing everything in a rich purple glow and it was the same in the sewers beneath the base. The same roots had had thickened, converged, and ascended through the facility floors towards the control tower now descended down through the sewer system. Once the adrenaline had abated and he'd regained his senses, all he'd needed to do was follow them.</p><p>Then there was the smell.</p><p>It wasn't Chief's first time in exploring a sewer, he did a more of that back in the lawless days, but none of them smelled sickly sweet and neither did they flow with glowing water.</p><p>As he'd waded his way through, part of him had wondered how long it would take to repair the damage and get the base back online. They had a galaxy to rule and a sector to police, and they couldn't do it with an unmanned base. Especially with a new threat on the horizon. The rest of him steeled himself for what he'd find at the end of the tunnel, ready to unleash the empire's full weight of vengeance on whatever had been responsible.</p><p>And he'd found it.</p><p>At the centre of the cavern stood Sauza, tall and proud as always. But… different.</p><p>His armour was gone, revealing a sheet of pure, contoured, pale grey skin, which captured the cavern's purple hue with a metallic sheen. The familiar brush of bright yellow hair was had seemingly been bleached into a shock of pure, shimmering white; and the eyes were jet black, soulless and glimmering as he appraised his form.</p><p>He wasn't Sauza anymore.</p><p>Chief stood a few yards away, a stark contrast of subtle bruises and scuffed armour as he watched the seemingly oblivious cyborg. Behind him lay a crumpled mass of rotting metal. A shell, Chief noted. And, judging by the manner in which the dead branches converged on it, it was clearly the seed from which the tree had grown.</p><p>A large hole had been blown in the ceiling and rock walls above; no doubt when that thing had landed on this planet. This was otherworldly, he'd concluded, as twilight streamed in through the manmade skylight and bathed the duo in sunset.</p><p>"Saiyan." It acknowledged.</p><p>Two voices spoke in unison; one was the Armoured Squadron commander's, the other, deep and bereft of inflection. Both echoed off the cavern walls. It acknowledging him briefly, glancing up with pearlescent black eyes before continuing to scrutinise its iridescent form.</p><p>"I didn't know you things could talk."</p><p>"The others did not require it." It replied, fingers shimmering as he flexed them. "This form, however, had power and memory to spare."</p><p>This form?</p><p>"And what is 'this form'?"</p><p>It paused briefly.</p><p>"Omega." The Cyborg stated "An instrument by which this galaxy will be perfected."</p><p>Its fist clenched with conviction, and Chief's eyes narrowed.</p><p>"Perfection?"</p><p>"Every plant, every organism, every cell."</p><p>"Every soldier?"</p><p>The creature paused momentarily, observing its surroundings.</p><p>"They nourished me. And in turn, they were perfected and preserved."</p><p>Preserved?</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about but you attacked a military base under the rule of Lord Coola of the Kold Empire." He began, arms folding across his chest. "Which means I'm gonna have to kill you."</p><p>"Unlikely." It replied, surgically. "But it doesn't matter, the others will accomplish what I do not."</p><p>Others?</p><p>At that moment, dread began to creep up from his core. If what he said was true, they were being invaded. Suddenly this creature was more a threat than a curiosity… and he readied himself, a familiar flow of adrenaline coursing through his veins.</p><p>"Then I'll just have to kill them too." He responded, defiantly.</p><p>'Sauza's' eyes shifted and locked with Chief's own, meeting his scowl with cold indifference.</p><p>"If you believe you're capable, Saiyan, you're welcome to try."</p><p>It happened, before he could blink… the iron fist sank into his stomach with such force he was lifted off his toes. Every ounce of energy of strength immediately dissipated from his lower extremities, replaced with a numbness as he gasped for air.</p><p>The second blow sent him back with such force he <em>bounced</em> off the cavern wall like a rubber ball, shattering a layer from the rock face. As he rebounded, his hair was suddenly caught in a vice-like grip and he was slammed into the floor.</p><p>Hard.</p><p>A heartbeat later, an energy ball radiated a knowing heat through his breastplate before he took flight.</p><p>He burst through the metal branch and rock, wafting with purple smoke and tumbling wildly through the crisp dusk air as his armour fell away in smoked pieces. The landing was just as rough. He rolled and skidded along the hard soil and rock for what felt like an eternity before slowing to a halt and gasping for air.</p><p>What just happened? Any pride he'd felt was quickly replaced with shock.</p><p>'Sauza' gave him barely a second to postulate before he struck again. This time Chief had the presence of mind to dart back as an iridescent metal fist plummeted from above, brushed his hair and punched a deep hole in the grassy soil. His eyes honed in on the machine as he sailed backwards, putting some distance between them as he racked his mind, struggling to compute his circumstances.</p><p>Sauza was not this strong.</p><p>Then it disappeared…</p><p>Where?!</p><p>A second later, a sharp kick to the side of the head badly dazed him and he skidded at speed along the turf, kicking up soil and chunks of stone as he tumbled gracelessly and ricocheted hard on an errant lump of rock. It took him a long moment to will his battered body into action as he landed and his hand found purchase and slowed his momentum. He stopped on a knee, breathless, clumps of soil sticking between his fingers.</p><p>Then a sudden gust of heat caught his attention.</p><p>He glanced up to see a bubbling field of purple rapidly closing in on him.</p><p>Shit!</p><p>A duck, a twist, a cartwheel, a stumble, a jump… it took every ounce of will and athleticism to move his body and dodge the field of energy balls. They set the grass aflame as they raced passed him before exploding in the distance, lighting the late-evening sky.</p><p>No sooner had the last ball singed his hair than he was jolted to a stop by a hard leg to his side. The sheer force <em>bent </em>his ribs and drove the air from his lungs and he lurched forward… then he was dragged back by his hair and a knee connected hard with his spine.</p><p>Chief's yell echoed across the plain.</p><p>The pain was indescribable… before the air was driven from his lungs as his face was driven into the ground.</p><p>His eyes widened, pained tears welled and nourished the dry soil, and what little strength he had vacated his body as he struggled and failed to raise his body.</p><p>A wave of panic set in.</p><p>Was this how he died? He couldn't allow it. But the initial assault had caught him cold. The usual steady flow of power dripped impotently like a broken faucet and his body responded sluggishly as he attempted to wield it.</p><p>A rough kick to the side rolled him sloppily onto his back… Numb, vision cloudy, and struggling to retain consciousness, he watched irresistibly as the monster knelt above him; eyes locked with his own, face disdainfully expressionless. He hated that face. More importantly, he hated the defeat and embarrassment it represented.</p><p>A hand shot down and covered his mouth with an iron grip and he felt the scathing heat of mortality steadily rising over his face.</p><p>This was it. Death. On a dead alien world, a mile outside a military base.</p><p>Killed by fucking <em>Sauza</em>, of all people, with that stupid fucking haircut… or at least the hands of some kind of cybernetic entity that had eaten him and assumed his form.</p><p>Omega.</p><p>Sauza Omega.</p><p>An entity that was one of many… that would annihilate the empire and destroy everything his mentor had built. That would replace it with unrelenting chaos. The same mentor that had taken him in; nurtured him, trusted him, given him purpose and order… given him everything he had and everything he held dear… foresaw greatness in him.</p><p>The mentor that would look upon his memory not with fondles and pride but disappointment at his weakness, if not abject distain…</p><p>He would not allow it.</p><p>The broken faucet rattled then spurted to life… just as heat across his face reached an unbearable critical mass and detonated in a blinding flash…</p><p>The air was thick with the smell of the smell of grass and burning skin… and the monster's eyes narrowed as it struggled against Chief's steel-like grip.</p><p>Chief glared right back, growling, head tilted, left ear hot and smoking, the earth beside his face reduced to ash, his left hand clasped tightly against the monster's forearm…</p><p>He would not allow failure and weakness to be his legacy.</p><p>With desperate strength, his right hand shot out and grabbed the monster's throat and, with a vicious growl, his head flew forward and connected with the creature's face.</p><p>The faucet spurted again.</p><p>The monster reeled, as he sprang from his tail, onto his feet, and flew forward into a wild roundhouse.</p><p>It missed by a whisker.</p><p>His boot-tip brushed ash-white strands of feathered hair as Sauza ducked and swept his legs from beneath him. But he rolled with the momentum as he hit the ground, springing up just in time to dodge the heel of an axe kick that shattered a thick slab of rock and sent soil sailing into the air.</p><p>The follow-up kick struck his forearm with such force his heels shovelled a mound of hardened soil as he slid. But he countered with one of his own.</p><p>The spurt of power was inconsistent… but just enough as they flowed back and forth.</p><p>Chief batted away an energy ball and lunged forward, but he was tired… the punch was sloppy, the creature evaded, and it countered with a <em>hard </em>knee to the ribs that drew air from his lungs.</p><p>He was grabbed a heartbeat later, arm over neck, and flung through the air; spinning uncontrollably before a boot to his midsection sent him sailing backwards.</p><p>It took every ounce of dexterity to land on his feet, albeit dizzy and unsteady, but he still had the presence of mind to anticipate the creature's lunge into an overhand right and the instinct to catch the overextension…</p><p>His blood stirred instinctively, the faucet spurted again, and he capitalised with a <em>hard</em> uppercut to the stomach.</p><p>A barely audible grunt was all he needed to know he'd hurt it and his adrenaline surged again… Sauza doubled over and reeled directly into a <em>harder </em>right to the face.</p><p>Power flowed through his muscles.</p><p>His third punch was blocked, his fourth was caught, but his kick went undetected and his eyes briefly sparkled with unchecked aggression… with a growl of pure savagery, he thrust his heel into the monster's chest.</p><p>Power crackled through the air on impact as Sauza was thrown backwards, sliding back first into the churned earth before rolling with the momentum and stopping on a knee.</p><p>Their eyes locked for a long moment… the sudden silence of the plain undercut by Chief's breathing as the adrenaline cursed through his veins and his muscles began to cook. A familiar stream of power began to flow unchecked through his muscles, and, for the first time, the creature's brows furrowed. Calculations no doubt racing through its mind as it appraised the young captain and his renewed strength.</p><p>It was powerful, <em>very</em> powerful; easily the strongest being he'd ever encountered.</p><p>But he was the Chief.</p><p>"That all you got?" He spat, defiantly.</p><p>He would protect the empire. Sauza Omega would die on this planet.</p><hr/><p>Coola stood alone in his quarters, arms folded with tension as he glared at the passing stars through his observation window.</p><p>"The corpse <em>transformed</em>?" He enquired, eyes affixed to thick glass.</p><p>A large screen sat on the wall to his left, and his General's broad pink face was spread all over it.</p><p>"<em>Yes, Commander.</em>" The General responded, stern voice crackling with interference and echoing off the interior of his space pod. "<em>One minute the patient was dead; the next it mutated into some kind of monster and rampaged through the facility. There's no doubt the infection was responsible.</em>"</p><p>Coola's face remained stoic but his tail swayed with discontent and chipping the floor with each snap.</p><p>Ten years of planning…</p><p>"I trust you took care of it."</p><p>"<em>The creature is dead and the facility has been locked down.</em>"</p><p>"But not without injury." Coola commented, catching the raw marks and welts decorating the General's face and chest.</p><p>"<em>A scratch, Commander.</em>"</p><p>"I'm sending you the coordinates to FR037. You are to report there immediately for a full medical examination and remain in quarantine as a precautionary measure."</p><p>"<em>Sir-</em>"</p><p>"Do I make myself clear?" He turned and glared at his General.</p><p>"…<em>Yes, Commander.</em>" Bolo replied, cowed.</p><p>His eyes returned to his tense observation.</p><p>"What of the scientists?"</p><p>"<em>Killed during the rampage. Scientists and doctors, including Toto.</em>"</p><p>"A shame. His expertise would have been useful going forward." His tail snapped again, the gust lightly shifting a council chair. "At least the data was archived; we can synthesize a cure at another facility."</p><p>At half the speed…</p><p>His arms, folded, tensed with subtle vascularity.</p><p>"<em>Forgive me, Lord Coola. I was unable to save him-</em>"</p><p>"Don't be foolish." He interjected sharply. "His death could not have been anticipated. Besides, he was not the only scientist in the galaxy, I'm sure we can find someone adequate with whom to proceed."</p><p>"<em>Commander," </em>Bolo began, "<em>what happened at the facility was no mere act of terrorism. What I saw today was a patient that was weaponised by an alien pathogen.</em>"</p><p>A brief lull hung over the council chamber. Coola's eyes closed as his breath evened…</p><p>Ten years of planning…</p><p>"We're at war." He declared.</p><p>Bolo nodded.</p><p>"<em>With an unknown enemy.</em>"</p><p>"And everyone that monster killed is a potential soldier." He stated. "Turn back and destroy the facility. No survivors. Leave nothing but ash."</p><p>"<em>Already done, Commander, but the meteorite is the real threat. We need to find out where it came from and if there are more of them.</em>"</p><p>Sector 32 flashed through Coola's mind.</p><p>There may well be… and Earth would have to wait until they brought the empire under control.</p><p><em>Ten years </em>since his father's death…</p><p>"Chief will take charge of the investigation upon his return; all bases will be placed on full alert in the meantime, as will Vashon, Mussul, and what remains of my Squadron."</p><p>"<em>Yes, Commander.</em>"</p><p>"Our forces will be deployed and the council will reconvene to discuss our next steps, I'll ensure that you are updated as and when."</p><p>"<em>Forgive me, Commander, but can they be trusted? With the technology and resources they have at their disposal, can we be sure that this is not an attempt on their part to destabilise the empire and seize power?</em>"</p><p>"No one can be fully trusted, General But they have far too much invested in Earth to risk jeopardising our mission at such a crucial time." He replied, evenly. "You have your orders."</p><p>"<em>Yes, Commander.</em>"</p><p>The screen faded to black.</p><p>Coola paused for a long moment, eyes closing as a heavy silence hung over the council chamber.</p><p>Ten years.</p><p>With a roar of rage, the large council table burst through the observation window and flew into the depths of space. A bright yellow death ball followed a second later, detonating with a blinding flash and annihilating everything in its path.</p><hr/><p>A vibrant spiral of purple and crimson tore through the sky.</p><p>Both fighters struggled for dominance; fingers interlocked, bodies battered, and eyes brimming with malice. Power crackled and hissed in the air, muscles swam with vascularity and strength, and lightning streaked through a dense field of energy.</p><p>A bang rattled the air, flaring and dissipating the purple fog as both fighters flipped back and eyed each other in an uneasy standoff.</p><p>Then they clashed again, the blows echoing through the night.</p><p>The creature dodged a wild fist, punishing the sloppiness with a hard knee to the stomach and two harder punches to the face. The next kick was thrown with perfect precision but Chief anticipated it and caught the leg. He punished the predictability; pulling the monster into a hard right cross, a harder left to the stomach, and a knee to the head.</p><p>The exchange continued in a blur of fists and feet, dodges and blocks, parries and counters, mistakes and punishment, as the two soared across the plains.</p><p>The young saiyan absorbed a knee to face and a punch to his solar plexus, but ducked the haymaker and punished with a head-butt. The monster reeled from the impact, its head snapping back, but it caught the axe-handle that followed and countered with a head-butt of its own.</p><p>Chief grimaced, bearing his teeth as blood dripped freely from his forehead… before they clashed again in a blur of strength.</p><p>It should have been enough, Chief thought.</p><p>Power streamed unabated through his body, surging and swelling his young muscles with a strength he rarely accessed… flooding his mind with a euphoria he rarely allowed himself.</p><p>There should've been no one in the galaxy who was his equal, save for his mentor, but the creature matched him at every turn.</p><p>Every blow was delivered with feeling; strong enough to kill, cripple, or annihilate… but the monster dodged, countered, shrugged and absorbed. All the while, its face was expressionless; pearlescent black eyes glowered at him with such maddening indifference. It was impossible to tell what it was thinking.</p><p>An elbow connected with his jaw but it enraged him.</p><p>He roared in frustration, parrying the punch inwards, twisting outwards, and delivering a hard roundhouse to the spine. A dextrous summersault later and his tail seized the monster's neck mid-flight and sent it plummeting.</p><p>The machine crashed into the ground and churned the hardened soil.</p><p>An energy ball followed with a yell of anger; bright enough to bathe the plains in a luminous crimson glow as it sank into the soil, and hot enough to cook the earth from within. The resulting explosion shook the plains violently and launched large chunks of blackened rock into the sky.</p><p>Chief shielded his eyes from the pal of dust.</p><p>When the smoke cleared, ash was all that remained and a heavy silence permeated the air.</p><p>Was it dead?</p><p>Chief surveyed the carnage.</p><p>Highly unlikely, he concluded.</p><p>The answer came a few seconds later… when he turned and deflected an energy ball. He bat away the next, and the next, dodged three more until the bullets steadily grew into an unavoidable barrage. A thick, bubbling, blindingly violet wall of death struck and pushed a hastily erected shield wall.</p><p>He grit his teeth, grimacing as his muscles <em>cooked</em> with power; squeezing his eyes tightly as his joints rattled and rocked with concussive impacts.</p><p>He fought his own finite endurance as well as the monster and it had begun to take its toll.</p><p>But he clenched his jaw, steeled his core and began to push back blindly against the assault until it abated.</p><p>Then his world was rocked from above.</p><p>What the fuck?!</p><p>He landed with a pained grunt, bouncing from his back to his front before sliding to a stop on weary hands and knees. His head throbbed from the impact, his body was coated in ash, blood and sweat dripped onto the necrotic soil, his breath escaped him in hard pants…</p><p>But his heart was filled with rage.</p><p>How could he get above him? How did he let that happen!</p><p>Chief had no time to catch his breath before his adrenaline spiked again… A lateral burst across the ashen floor followed, just as Sauza plummeted at monstrous speed and ploughed feet-first into the ground, missing him by mere inches.</p><p>He attempted to counter a half second later but his energy ball was mistimed and sailed harmlessly into the night.</p><p>Then the ground below him rumbled ominously and he flipped away again, just in time to evade an energy beam bursting up from beneath him. Sauza ascended shortly after at lightning speed, and Chief flung his arms up hastily to block a hard axe kick plummeting toward to his head.</p><p>This creature hadn't just stolen Souza's body, he'd inherited his cunning too.</p><p>Again, he threw a counter, just as the monster landed, but that too sailed past its head. He paid for the mistake a moment later when his ribs exploded with searing pain. The blow was followed swiftly; a hard sweep levitated him, a harder knee rocked his back, and a hand clasped his ankle, jolted him from the air, and sent him soaring into a nearby plateau.</p><p>The impact <em>split </em>the mass of rock… reducing much of it to rubble.</p><p>It nearly broke him.</p><p>He was sure several things were cracked or fractured but it all came in a wave of pain.</p><p>As he lay there, submerged in the stone, head swimming, he wondered if the reverberating pulses of agony were a result of the blows or the over-use of power. Or both.</p><p>Blood and sweat flowed in light streams and he squinted and wiped it away.</p><p>He was stronger.</p><p>Even with this thing's power in that bastardised body, there was no way it could match him when this much power pumped through his veins. Even if it was by a little bit, Chief <em>knew</em> he was stronger…</p><p>But this fight wasn't a test of pure strength.</p><p>Maybe it was because this thing had Sauza's mind and Sauza had always been the more cunning; the most adapt at hand-to-hand combat in Coola's ranks. He'd been the captain of the Armoured Squadron, the Elite Guard, for a reason; when it came to strategy and pure fists and feet, there had been no one who could beat him.</p><p>Maybe, when boosted with power and fortified with an artificial durability, that was enough to make up for the gap in strength.</p><p>That was enough to wear him down and for the fight to degenerate into a war of attrition.</p><p>Stalemate.</p><p>The word left a bad taste in his mouth and he spat a grim mix of blood and saliva onto the rock. It wounded his pride, challenged his usefulness, his conviction, his devotion and his will to win… and, to compound his resentment of his circumstances, the shaky signs of depletion had begun to creep up on him.</p><p>His muscles ached and burned <em>badly </em>from exertion; the initial rush of euphoria and rage had slowly abated, replaced by frustration at his impotence. More and more, his joints felt like they were grinding cement when he moved. Wielding his reserves became increasingly taxing.</p><p>It was why he rarely dug so deep... and he'd rarely needed to.</p><p>But machines didn't get tired. If this war of attrition continued, there would only be one winner.</p><p>Unless he acted.</p><p>Now.</p><p>Part of his mind swam with sheer desperation, urging him to reach deeper into the well, to reach from the very bottom and lay waste to his enemies no matter the cost. Another was terrified and wondered if he'd be boiled alive in his own power if he did.</p><p>Logic reminded him that his body was so damaged and depleted from this fight that process may kill him, while instinct questioned whether his muscles were charged enough to even attempt it. Souza Omega moved like lightning; he doubted it would sit back and allow him to do so.</p><p>Speaking of which…</p><p>A sudden wave of heat washed over the plateau, and with it, the realisation that he had little time to act… He glanced up to see a violet wall of death spiralling towards him.</p><p>The sudden rush of adrenaline made him gasp. All pain was pushed to the back of his mind as he squeezed himself wearily out of his would-be tomb and a familiar surge of power and will flowed sluggishly but potently and hotly down his arms.</p><p>He would not die today.</p><p>It took him a few long moment for his hands to heat up <em>just</em> enough… to be filled with <em>just </em>enough dense energy to counter the wave closing in on him… and all the while, the belligerent beam whistled through the air and raked the ground in its wake.</p><p>A saiyan shadow was cast long against the plateau behind him, which crumbled slowly under the increasing weight of power flowing over it.</p><p>Then his hands became sufficiently heavy.</p><p>With a roar of defiance, his arms shot forward and a bright red wave erupted from his palms.</p><p>It screamed through the air, burning everything beneath it, until the two beams clashed and brawled in a ball of dense, dark light.</p><p>Hell illuminated the night.</p><p>The shockwave blew away the plateau; the wind was hot and sharp, spiralling across the plains and shifting rocks in its wake. His hair whipped violently, springing free from the metal bands, and his arms shook and rattled from the exertion alone.</p><p>Yet still he stepped forward, determined to see his enemy die.</p><p>The creature did the same.</p><p>His legs were shaky and depleted, the strength flowing from every pore of his being to his arms and out his palms in a hot, reckless wave of destruction… but he still found it within him to continued forward, determined to prove his superiority.</p><p>And still the creature did the same.</p><p>An oven-like heat washed over the plain as the ball approached critical mass, rocks jumped and spiralled in orbit… yet still they continued forward… step by step… feeding more and more power into the attack as the sharp wind became a hurricane and the light became blinding.</p><p>The planet seemed to roar as both fighters stepped closer and closer to the endless sphere of dense energy.</p><p>For a brief moment, exhaustion blinded him as a his exertions sapped the strength from every fibre of his being to feed his legs.</p><p>Then the ball detonated and both were blown away.</p><p>The light was blinding, the heat was unwavering, the ground shook for miles, and, for several long moments, nothing existed but noise and light.</p><p>Then, just as it reached a crescendo… it abated and the world was filled with silence, smoke, and the patter of falling rock.</p><p>Chief was barely conscious when he landed, his body didn't allow him to move, but he was alive.</p><p>Paralysed with exhaustion, prone to a follow-up attacker… but alive. That fucking robot was always popping up from the sky or from the ground or from behind… a counter attack wasn't beyond the realm of possibility, though he'd worry about that when he had the energy to breathe and move at the same time.</p><p>It was only after several long minutes of inactivity that he began to stir… rolling and shifting slowly onto his knees</p><p>He was badly damaged. His head throbbed, his muscles burned, his bones ached, his gut sank with weakness… it took him several long minutes to summon the energy to crawl to his knees… another long moment to hoist himself to his feet… and a longer one to steady himself before his vision cleared and allowed him to survey the damage.</p><p>Nothing remained but an ashen valley; a blackened wasteland stretching for a clear mile, a bruise on the planet's surface.</p><p>"Bastard…" he panted before a wave of pain washed over him.</p><p>Somehow, he managed to levitate, drifting until he had enough energy find purchase in the air and float with something resembling stability.</p><p>He drifted for what seemed like an eternity, all the while wearily scanning the perimeter until he found what he was looking for.</p><p>'Sauza'. Or, at least, what was left of it.</p><p>What remained lay at the edge of the crater. Broken parts, a head, twisted limbs, pure, shimmering cables interweaved with synthetically-endowed muscle and sinew, dull metal scattered to the winds.</p><p>Burned, singed and blackened.</p><p>Scraps.</p><p>"So much for perfection." He spat.</p><p>He scowled in disgust that he'd allowed it to push him this far. Any sense of pride from his victory was sobered by the words the machine spoke in the caverns.</p><p>"<em>The others will accomplish what I do not…"</em></p><p>Chief scowled, glaring at the remains as his gut twisted with uncertainty.</p><p>The shell; the <em>seed</em> that had grown, taken over the base and consumed a small army seemingly with ease… consumed <em>Sauza </em>and turned him into this thing… there were more or them <em>somewhere </em>within their empire.</p><p>And they were a threat their armies weren't ready for.</p><p>Of the thousands in their ranks, there were perhaps only a relative handful who had the strength to challenge the elite fighters and fewer still who could handle them with ease. He and Coola were among that few.</p><p>That wasn't good.</p><p>Power was useless without the numbers, and that was assuming those creatures <em>didn't</em> absorb fighters of Sauza's elite calibre.</p><p>"<em>An instrument by which this galaxy will be perfected…"</em></p><p>He needed to send word to Coola. They needed to plan, to mobilise, to hunt down the rest before they did irreparable damage.</p><p>Chief began to wonder if there were any space pods left in the base. His own was miles away, so he was sure it would've be untouched by the fighting and flightworthy. However, a sample of the monster would be invaluable. Hell, even the dead metal in the caverns. Either way, he'd need a separate pod to carry them.</p><p>But his thoughts were interrupted as the scrap metal began to stir…</p><hr/><p>Perfection.</p><p>The sinew, cable and limbs warped in repair and sewed themselves back together. Its vision returned as the boy looked on, stunned into frozen silence.</p><p>This new body really was perfection.</p><p>A conclusion such as this would have been heresy back with its former body and former mind. Indeed, it was even illogical prior to its temporary destruction, given the repurposed biological components… the <em>imperfections</em>… that made up much of its form.</p><p>But now, as metal tendrils burst from the shimmering torso and snaked their way to the charred and scattered legs piecing themselves back together, resurrection had convinced it of its superiority over the saiyan.</p><p>The saiyan who stared in wide-eyed shock as it rose from its ashes.</p><p>The saiyan who excited it in a way it could not explain.</p><p>The memory banks called the boy <em>Chief</em>, and he was incredibly strong even for an organic… wells of power so deep they defied logic, and endurance to rival its own.</p><p>He'd fought with an unrestrained savagery, which contrasted sharply with the grace and elegance with which this new body instinctively fought. He was a marvel; savage, imperfect, barely worthy of existence in his current state, like all organics… but a marvel. The amount of data it had collected on the saiyan was astronomical.</p><p>He was smart and strong, a worthy meal.</p><p>It had looked forward to consuming the corpse, fresh or charred, when the fight was over… to absorbing all his knowledge, experience and power and ascend further beyond the level of an instrument of the Old Machine.</p><p>It could become a god in its own right.</p><p>For a long moment, it had looked like that wasn't to be.</p><p>Its final gambit had been an energy blast… a calculated risk on the observation of the boy's organic propensity for exhaustion and its own growing superiority in the fight. It had utilised deep reserves of power in order to kill the boy, but it had miscalculated its strength in relation to his own.</p><p>The realisation of defeat had been met with cold acceptance of its own biological flaws… just as the flash had blown it apart.</p><p>However, it had suddenly re-awakened. An unexpected development, and an ability it was completely unaware it possessed.</p><p>Its old programming had really mitigated against this potential occurrence and developed a last-resort protocol as a failsafe for inevitable defeat.</p><p>It really <em>was </em>perfect.</p><p>And now it stood reborn and refreshed, and hungry, with a renewed compulsion to consume. It was a stark contrast to the young saiyan; broken, depleted, injured, fearful, stunned, wide-eyed.</p><p>Foolish.</p><p>Imperfect.</p><p>Obsolete.</p><p>"What are you…" he heard him mutter, more to himself it was sure, but it blessed him with an answer regardless.</p><p>"Perfection." It replied.</p><p>Then its boot struck the boy's face.</p><hr/><p>He soared like an arrow for a mile.</p><p>The kick had been delivered with such force it had taken a plateau to slow his velocity and another one to stop him completely.</p><p>Blood stained the rock behind him in long, slicks streaks as he slid to the floor.</p><p>Impossible. It was impossible. He'd killed it.</p><p>It was dead. Dead things don't come back to life.</p><p>He'd given nearly everything he'd had in that fight, <em>everything</em> to counter the monster's insane durability. And sacrificed <em>everything</em> that was left to incinerate it.</p><p>He'd proven he was better, he'd proven the empire's strength was unshakeable.</p><p>So how was it alive?</p><p>The confusion and shock swirled through his mind like a hurricane as he sat, slumped against the rock and gasping for air. His mind swam with pain and dizziness, his body felt broken, useless and so, so, <em>heavy</em>…</p><p>His limbs refused to obey his commands.</p><p>This wasn't happening.</p><p>"Shit…" he tried to say, but an exhausted cough escaped instead.</p><p>He had to do something.</p><p><em>Anything</em>.</p><p>He couldn't lose.</p><p>He <em>refused</em> to lose.</p><p>But he was so <em>tired</em>…</p><p>It took an eternity for him to throw his head back and open his eyes… just as the machine appeared in front of him in a flash.</p><p>"Where did your strength go?" It asked, face blank and unimpressed.</p><p>Disdainful.</p><p>And he just stared back.</p><p>An unwelcome streak of fear and mortality crept up his spine, something he hadn't felt in years. Something he hated himself for succumbing to.</p><p>Then a roundhouse crashed into his head.</p><p>He slid across the ground for what felt like an eternity, face and chest gouging and crumbling and shredding the rock below until he finally slid to a halt.</p><p>There was nothing left, he realised. No power, no fight, nothing.</p><p>But the galaxy was depending on him.</p><p>The empire depended on him.</p><p>Coola depended on him.</p><p>He had to try… He had to reach down within him and find <em>something.</em></p><p>His face emerged from the pebbles and stones a crimson mask. When he struggled to his knees, his chest was decorated the same way, with blood dripping freely onto the ground below.</p><p>A pair of metallic feet appeared beside him, shimmering as they reflected the night.</p><p>Waiting for him… daring him.</p><p>"Fight, Saiyan."</p><p>"Fuck… you…" He coughed.</p><p>It took several long moments for him to muster the strength to stumble to his feet. A sloppy punch followed, which connected but did nothing.</p><p>Another followed, and another, and another, a slow flurry; all thrown in desperation with what little strength he had left.</p><p>Yet the monster looked on with distain at his impotence.</p><p>Unmoved.</p><p>His last punch was caught and his midsection exploded in agony. Seconds later, his face hit the floor with enough force to crack rock, a palm grinding his head into the dust.</p><p>"Unimpressive."</p><p>That was it.</p><p>The ground below dripped red as he coughed his life onto the planet's surface, and his chest ached with each convulsion.</p><p>"Time to die."</p><p>He'd failed.</p><p>A moment later, he found himself eye-to-eye with the creature; feet and tail dangling and a hand clasped around his throat. And in those soulless pearlescent orbs he saw everything… his battered and bruised face, his team, the destruction of the empire, chaos, Coola…</p><p>"<em>I won't let you down…"</em></p><p>"<em>No, you won't…"</em></p><p>Those blood red eyes glaring back at him, disdainful at his ineptitude.</p><p>"No-!" He tried to say… but the word was choked into a breathless croak as the grip tightened.</p><p>"Yes." The machine responded, oblivious to his anguish.</p><p>The agony he felt as the weight of responsibility crushed him… it hurt more than broken bones; more than teetering on the brink of death.</p><p>As the grip tightened and his breath became restricted, the faucet rattled one last time and gave a final desperate spurt.</p><p>His right hand shot out and launched one last hot crimson wave… and it sailed impotently into the distance.</p><p>His wrist had been caught in the monsters grasp and redirected harmlessly away from its head.</p><p>Then the snap echoed through the night.</p><p>His pained yell didn't… it caught in his throat as the hand constricted and the windpipe closed.</p><p>He struggled impotently and weakly for a while as the monster looked on impassively.</p><p>"Perfection." It declared as his strength dissipated.</p><p>His vision became cloudy and dark, and his struggles ceased.</p><hr/><p>"<em>Did you hear me, Boy?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He paused in fright and glanced tentatively at his Uncle, the large slab of meat still hanging between his teeth. The larger saiyan glared right back, the camp-fire giving his hardened eyes and thick mane an almost spectral glow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was so big and so scary…</em>
</p><p>"<em>Um… uh…" He fumbled for a response, so nervous that the meat almost slipped from his tiny hands.</em></p><p>"<em>K'iiff!" His uncle scoffed in frustration, muttering obscenities and condemnations as the boy hung his head in and shame.</em></p><p>
  <em>He didn't know what that word meant but he knew it was bad. He always called him that when he was mad, and he was almost always mad… His cheeks burned and a familiar sadness welled up within him. He wouldn't cry though. If there was one thing his uncle taught him, it was never to cry… he'd learned that the hard way.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Besides, it was his fault for not listening.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You're weak!" The familiar tirade began. "Your very existence is an affront to the purity of our race! Back on Vegeta, we made sport of slaughtering your kind… you and the slaves who birthed you!"</em></p><p>
  <em>The words were confusing and painful but, by this point, he'd them so many times he was almost numb. Uncle would rant and he'd rave and be scary but then his face would become forlorn and his tone would become sad.</em>
</p><p>"<em>But we don't have a Vegeta anymore, or a race…" The big saiyan sighed, eyes shifting to the flames. "…so you'll have to do."</em></p><p>
  <em>They ate in silence as the campfire flickered and crackled audibly through the night. He would try to apologise when he did something wrong, just like his mother always taught him. An apology always made everything better, she always said. But his uncle hated that word. It was a weak, Earthling word, he always said. They didn't use anything like it on Vegeta. He didn't know what Vegeta was, it sounded like a scary place, but he didn't dare ask Uncle Raditz in case he got mad again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was easy to make him mad.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His mother would tell him though, she was always nice to him. He used to dream of her every night. He and his uncle had travelled across the galaxy, visited all different types of worlds, and most of them were hostile. But, no matter where they were, whether it was a frozen wasteland or a hot dessert world, the memory of his mother was usually all he needed to drift off.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But now, it had been so long since he'd seen her… he wished he could remember her face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Both her and his father.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But, no! That was for weaklings.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He shook his head hard, as if to force back the lump in his throat and clear the defiant thoughts from his head. His eyes narrowed in annoyance at himself. Uncle had told him a hundred times, his mother was an earthling whore and his father had been a weakling. Uncle was he was all the protection he needed. He was his father now… whether he liked it or not, he'd said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He bore his teeth and tore a juicy chunk from the slab, as if to awaken the savagery he needed, as juice dripping down his chin and between his fingers.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Boy."</em></p><p>
  <em>The stern address snapped him from his reverie, and he looked up to find his uncle staring at him. Subconsciously, he readied himself for another rant about him being an abomination, or a disgrace to their heritage, or something like that. Maybe he decided to punish him with another midnight fight. They always left him sore and exhausted… but not as much as when they'd first started.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Last time, Uncle had laughed at him and said he was getting better at taking a beating. It was confusing. Being mean made him happy.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You did well today." He continued, tone measured and even as those spectral black eyes flicked towards the animal carcass hanging over the camp fire.</em></p><p>
  <em>He'd killed it himself. Compliments from his uncle were extremely rare, so this one had stunned him into silence.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Th-thank y-" he began, until his uncle's eyes narrowed again.</em></p><p>'<em>Thanks' and 'gratitude' were other soft, earthling words he hated. Vegeta wasn't just scary, it was really impolite too. He settled for a curt, wide-eyed nod.</em></p><p>"<em>In our culture," he began, "making your first kill on a hunt is a rite of passage for all pure-blooded saiyan boys; a sign that he would soon be ready for the Trials."</em></p><p>
  <em>He nodded, gazing intently at his uncle, as his uncle gazed intently at the flames.</em>
</p><p>"<em>He would be required to learn our culture, our practices, our history, our philosophy… and prove himself on the battlefield against his brothers. If, and only if, he survived, and rid us of the weak links in our chain… he would then be considered a true saiyan and be allowed to participate in our society."</em></p><p>
  <em>He paused, savagely tearing the meat from the bone.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Make no mistake, boy; you are a k'iffe. The lowest of the low; a dilution of our bloodline and an affront to our existence. Just like I am a low class warrior, the bottom rung of the ladder. There are some things that we cannot change."</em></p><p>
  <em>He paused, contemplatively, and Gohan was in awe at his conviction and slight vulnerability.</em>
</p><p>"<em>But there are only a handful of us remaining in this universe, reduced to servitude to a tyrant… Before long, none of us will remain. So what do titles and bloodlines matter?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He was mesmerised by the fire. Maybe he was thinking about when he did the trials, maybe he was thinking about his friends or why there wasn't a Vegeta anymore.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I will save the tenets of our culture for a more suitable time. For now, I'll teach you the most important one." He gazed inquisitively at the young boy. "Do you know what that is?"</em></p><p>"<em>Uh…" he fumbled for an answer, wilting under the intense black gaze. "To… to be strong…?"</em></p><p>
  <em>His uncle nodded.</em>
</p><p>"<em>A saiyan lives and dies by his strength, Boy. It defines our race in a way that few understand." He continued. "Every other creature in this shithole galaxy stumbles around blindly, fumbling for meaning and truth in whatever illusions they created for themselves, as they have done for millennia. Democracy? Diplomacy? Peace?" He spat in distain. "They're all blind to the simple truth staring them to the face."</em></p><p>
  <em>His eyes hardened as they locked onto Gohan's.</em>
</p><p>"<em>The beauty of our race is in the simplicity of our truth; power is the only thing that matters in this universe. You do not negotiate, you seize what is yours and dare your enemies to stop you." He declared. "Only the strong survive in this universe… and only the very strongest have the right to rule. Do you understand?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He nodded, wide-eyed.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Do not nod, Boy. I want you to say it."</em></p><p>
  <em>His tiny brows furrowed in thought.</em>
</p><p>"<em>P-Power is the only thing-"</em></p><p>"<em>With conviction, k'iiff! You may only have half the blood but, for as long as you are with me, you will conduct yourself like a true saiyan!"</em></p><p>"<em>Power's the only thing that matters!"</em></p><p>
  <em>His uncle nodded, held his glare for a long moment, and then continued with his meal.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Silence hung over the forest once again.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Power's the only thing that matters…"</em></p><hr/><p>It glared at the saiyan hanging limply in its grasp, as the wind swept and spiralled across the plains.</p><p>Error.</p><p>Strange. Analysis of this planet's weather patterns did not indicate any storm. Perhaps a miscalculation had been made?</p><p>No. Impossible. It was perfect.</p><p>But the wind grew in intensity and whipped the ash and stone into a spiral. And its mind flashed the same message.</p><p>Error</p><p>Something was wrong. An error had occurred but it could not calculate a solution independent of the Chief hanging in his grasp.</p><p>He was responsible.</p><p>Impossible as it may have been… then the muscles in the boy's neck <em>flexed</em> against his grip.</p><p>He was next to dead; he should not have been able to do that, yet he bared his teeth and gasped.</p><p>Error.</p><p>A sliver of disconcertion flowed in its artificial veins; a biological marker of self-preservation it had never felt before…</p><p>Concern.</p><p>No. It was beyond the limiting emotions of lesser beings, regardless of the mind and body it had merged with.</p><p>It was perfect. It would still win.</p><p>It released the broken wrist from its grasp, then, in an instant, a blade of pure purple energy replaced it. A gift from Sauza.</p><p>It would end this now.</p><p>Its arm reared back, the blade glimmering unnaturally against the darkness… then it thrust forward with irresistible speed, an unmistakable trajectory set for the saiyan's heart.</p><p>Until its joints creaked loudly as the arm jolted violently to halt.</p><p>Error.</p><p>It took a moment to compute what had just occurred. A split second storm of calculations raced through its mind, working frantically to identify an internal cause and rectify it. Until its eyes shifted downwards to the blade…</p><p>And saw its hand lodged firmly in the boy's blood-soaked grasp.</p><p>Impossible. Yet it could not free itself from the grip.</p><p>Error.</p><p>The soft howl and whistle of the wind had suddenly become deafening.</p><p>It glanced up at the boy's face, in some desperate hope of finding solutions to the millions of calculations racing through its mind… And it found the boy's eyes wide, pure white, and locked into its own.</p><p>Error.</p><p>His teeth were bared; his black mane, thick and levitating freely in the wind; his face was twisted into a vascular scowl and brimmed with otherworldly malice.</p><p>Its brows furrowed.</p><p>The world seemed to calm for a moment, the storm forgotten as it gazed into his eyes, as if all observational protocols had been refocused on the endless white pools of hatred.</p><p>A second later, chaos erupted.</p><p>The blade, pure energy… <em>pure energy</em>… <em>shattered</em> in the boy's grasp. The wind exploded into a violent hurricane; a fierce concentration of sound, wind and golden light that <em>gouged</em> the earth in chunks, <em>bent</em> light, <em>sliced </em>and <em>crumbled</em> rock, and <em>sank</em> the two into a spiralling crater that widened with every foot of submergence.</p><p>Lightning cracked and stone defied gravity.</p><p>Error.</p><p>It took every ounce of spare strength for it to maintain its balance as the storm reached a crescendo.</p><p>And then it happened… a wail of pure animalistic fury burst from the boy's throat and pierced the air like a blade.</p><p>Right then, as if the saiyan willed it, the storm exploded in a blinding golden flash, destroying everything in its immediate surroundings and lifting the ash and rock lodged in the ground.</p><p>By the time Sauza realised he was soaring, he was already half a kilometre away; tumbling end over end through the air and <em>still</em> accelerating.</p><p>It struggled desperately to right itself and halt its flight… Until an unknown force crashed sharply into its back and sent it plummeting at liquefying velocity.</p><p>Error. Error.</p><p>A brief, organic wave of panic struck. The damage at such speed would be critical but it could not brace itself for impact.</p><p>But it didn't need to.</p><p>Another bang, this time to the midsection a meter from the ground, nearly snapped the body in half at the waist. It soared laterally, ricocheting <em>hard</em> along the ground, ploughing through rock for a mile before a plateau finally halted its momentum.</p><p>Then… blackness.</p><p>It took several long moments for its systems to reboot, but when its vision initialized, an internal scan found its body twisted, dented, and embedded in rock.</p><p>How?</p><p>It had been attacked, there was no doubt, but the sheer speed was faster that its systems could process.</p><p>Impossible.</p><p>
  <em>Impossible.</em>
</p><p>But the evidence defied logic.</p><p>Badly cracked armour plating, ruptured synthetic trapezius, scuffed and sanded skull plating… the damage inflicted from those three blows was more significant than it had been in the entire 74 minute exchange with the saiyan.</p><p>Problem equations flowed unabated through its mind but it would not be granted enough time to compute a solution.</p><p>Golden light bathed the immediate surroundings, shimmering faintly off its scuffed and scratched body as the boy descended before it.</p><p>He was far removed from the saiyan he had overmatched before.</p><p>His hair defied gravity and shimmered golden against the night; teal eyes glimmered with ill-intent; teeth bared and face <em>twisted</em> into a blood-streaked scowl… The ground beneath his boots <em>cracked </em>and <em>split </em>under the sheer weight of his power.</p><p>"Where has this strength come from?"</p><p>Data not found.</p><p>As the warm wind brushed its face and ruffled stones, it couldn't find a solution.</p><p>Error. Error.</p><p>He boy's muscles flexed as he panted in barely concealed rage. His ear was still burnt, his right arm still hung limply at his side, wrist still bent and protruding unnaturally, but his left hand grasped crushed metal.</p><p>Its hand.</p><p>A further status scan revealed a jagged stump at the end of its left arm.</p><p>Error. Error.</p><p>Panic.</p><p>It took a moment to extract itself from the rubble and another to run a billion calculations, a desperate search for a viable strategy.</p><p>But the search was fruitless.</p><p>Impossible. It was perfect. But it seemed perfection was insufficient against this level of power.</p><p>Error.</p><p>No.</p><p>Error. Malfunction.</p><p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p>Surprise was the more viable conclusion. The speed of the initial assault had rendered it unable to react. It knew what to expect now and it would not work again.</p><p>A long moment passed between the two… almost as if the boy waited, <em>dared</em> it to repair itself.</p><p>Insolent. <em>Primitive</em> little…</p><p>No. It would not succumb to organic emotions and it would take advantage of the sudden lull in activity.</p><p>It would defy expectation and go on the offensive.</p><p>With lightning speed, it burst forward, launching itself at the boy with its arm reared back and a fist clenched…</p><p>Before the plateau behind it… <em>behind it</em>… exploded in a shower of rubble.</p><p>Such speed…</p><p>A hand clasped its forearm from behind and a hard blow <em>bent </em>its spine, sending it gliding over the rocky plain at blinding speed. He skid end over end across the battered rock before coming to a halt in a field of chipped rock and gouged earth.</p><p>Another system reboot, another initialization, another scan revealed crumpled vertebrae and a curved spine in desperate need of repair.</p><p>Error. Damage critical.</p><p>No. Impossible.</p><p>It attempted to stand amidst the dust and rubble; taking to its hands and knees… then collapsing lopsidedly and gracelessly onto its face.</p><p>The entire right arm was missing.</p><p>Damage critical.</p><p>An adjustment later and it was on its feet, blinking dust from its optics and mind whirring frantically for a solution to its problem. Until it blinked again and the saiyan suddenly appeared before it, scowling as he tossed away the metal arm in distain.</p><p>It stumbled back.</p><p>Error. Alarm. Error.</p><p>But no. It mastered itself. This is nothing it could not repair; evidenced by its spine straightening.</p><p>Attack.</p><p>It flew forward, form bereft of grace and left arm raised to deliver a wild club to the saiyan's head.</p><p>Then, in a blink, its back exploded and a small saiyan fist emerged in a shower of synthetic viscera and sparks.</p><p>Damage critical.</p><p>No.</p><p>Da-Damage cri-cri-crit-.</p><p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p>Cri-cri-System shutdown imminent.</p><p>No!</p><p>Fear coursed through its being like water over live cables… Then, with a guttural growl, the arm was torn violently from its torso.</p><p>Sauza stumbled back, equilibrium gone as its legs ceased to function, and what remained of it collapsed in a dysfunctional heap.</p><p>It took a few seconds to notice the metal ribs and cybernetic heart in the boy's grasp, then another second for the boy to crush it.</p><p>Crit-tical failure-ure-.</p><p>But… it was perfect.</p><p>Perfection.</p><p>Its body, its mind… both shutting down.</p><p>Downloading… 63%</p><p>No.</p><p>Downloading… 97%</p><p>"No!" An <em>organic</em> wail of rage escaped it but it could not override the process.</p><p>It looked unseeingly at the boy, the <em>monster</em>… its vision flickering, blackening, brightening, shaking and flickering again. Sauza's resentment amplified and overwhelmed its system in a brief moment of unsuppressed hatred and fear.</p><p>The boy matched it with a look of cold hatred.</p><p>Then, wordlessly, his arm extended, his palm glowed white, and a swirling ball of orange death emerged from his flesh.</p><p>This was the end. It would return to the Old Machine.</p><p>Preparing dispatch…</p><p>But it would not die alone.</p><p>Logic error.</p><p>It still had memory enough to shut down systems and redirect power to its left arm.</p><p>The stump tip shattered as another blade appeared, and its eyes zeroed on the boy's chest.</p><p>Dispatch complete.</p><p>It lunged at the boy, arm extended…</p><p>…before the energy ball erupted and the machine was bathed in molten light.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Heretic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>PART TWO</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Four Months Later…</strong>
</p>
<p>Private Moy's lungs burned as she sprinted through what remained of the city; a mess of flames, rubble, undulating metal and corpses.</p>
<p>The results of the air assault.</p>
<p>Fires illuminated the night. Explosions still lingered in the background but, at the forefront, the only sound that registered was a chorus of ravenous growls and monstrous footsteps.</p>
<p>Her own people… and the monstrous remains of other conquered races.</p>
<p>Her rifle had been tossed aside, the ammo supply had run out a long time ago.</p>
<p>Planet Metal was breathing its last breaths.</p>
<p>It was a pattern that had repeated itself across the galaxy for months… Fragmented reports of invasions from across the galaxy of bio-cybernetic mutants emerging from the oceans and seas, overwhelming armies and wiping out all life. Enormous fleets of near-invincible warships that darkened the sky, overwhelmed air defence, destroyed cities, conquered planets.</p>
<p>Population massacres.</p>
<p>But they'd been arrogant.</p>
<p>They thought they'd been prepared. Troops and machinery had been stationed at every major population centre; every city and every town on the planet; forcefield walls had been erected.</p>
<p>Mines had been placed on every major coast; aquatic war machines had been deployed, ships and neutron subs; the air force had been placed on alert.</p>
<p>They'd felt safe.</p>
<p>Her unit had been in the capital and were in a jovial mood. They thought they could win; and why not? Metal was home of one of the most advanced civilisations in the empire.</p>
<p>They weren't a Galas or Leef… they were <em>different</em>.</p>
<p>Little had they known.</p>
<p>It was early morning when they'd invaded, coming from <em>under</em> the city.</p>
<p>Surprising them.</p>
<p>As she darted out of a blown out building and through an alley, she could still remember first contact… The crack of concrete as shimmering tendrils had burst up from beneath them in a hail of metal and rubble, the surprise on her comrades' faces as they were impaled en masse, the screams as their bones were crushed and they were <em>eaten</em> there and then.</p>
<p><em>Eaten</em> by <em>shapeshifting metal…</em></p>
<p>She remembered the tendrils converging and spiralling high into the sky, destroying vehicles and weaving through buildings until they hovered over the city.</p>
<p>She could still feel the warm, sticky blood flecking her face as the corpses were <em>liquefied </em>and <em>splattered </em>the streets below…</p>
<p>Then the city forcefield had broken.</p>
<p>She didn't know how but it didn't matter.</p>
<p>A swarm had followed. The troops that remained had regained their bearings just as thousands of hideous cybernetic mutants emerged from the ground and flooded in from the coast. Waves of monstrously strong creatures, impervious to small-weapons fire had overwhelmed them.</p>
<p>There hadn't been time to evacuate the civilian population.</p>
<p>Where could they go now if the military wasn't even strong enough to protect them?</p>
<p>The armies had been scattered and, within hours, the capital became a feeding frenzy.</p>
<p>Men, women, and children; soldiers and civilians alike.</p>
<p>A <em>horror</em> show…</p>
<p>One soldier downed two mutants in a hail of plasma fire before another caught him from behind, snapped his neck and dragged him away for an easy meal. A mother and child ambushed by five and torn to pieces. Another soldier had yelped in surprise and shock as his legs were torn off, his torso had been torn open, and two mutants gorged on him.</p>
<p>Angry, impotent tears flooded her eyes as she darted over rubble and the chase swept through a blown out building.</p>
<p>She'd barely escaped that initial assault.</p>
<p>Reinforcements had tried to come to their aid. Imperial forces broke through the atmosphere just after midday to provide air support and deploy troops; thousands of elite fighters and flight capable soldiers.</p>
<p>Aliens. The kinds that could shoot plasma from their hands.</p>
<p>She'd always <em>hated</em> those bastard imperial units but she'd been elated when they'd landed and torn through the hoard.</p>
<p>The relief lasted for all of fifteen minutes before the counter attack came.</p>
<p>The sky was flooded with so many invading ships that they cast a shadow over the city. Their air support was cut down from behind. Seconds later, artillery and fire rained from above, explosions rocked the city and the skyscrapers came down.</p>
<p>They hadn't stood a chance.</p>
<p>She could still hear the screams of the dying as her people burned to death, civilians and soldiers alike. Then the ships birthed a second wave of monsters; bigger, stronger, and more invincible than the last. When they'd landed, the imperial units were massacred.</p>
<p>The pattern would continue.</p>
<p>Moy's vision would be blinded with tears and exhaustion before she'd run into a dead end and find herself surrounded.</p>
<p>Fear would give way to panic.</p>
<p>She'd reach for her side-arm in a hopeless attempt to avoid her end with a hail of plasma fire, but they'd pounce on her before she got the chance.</p>
<p>Metal would fall that night and more planets would follow.</p>
<p>Annihilation would continue to spread throughout the galaxy.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>The Heretic</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>The planet was a hostile, glacier-like wasteland. Arctic winds sliced through the air, howling fiercely over the vast frozen whiteness.</p>
<p>Coola's toes flexed against the familiar ice, as the familiar crisp air filled his lungs.</p>
<p>The view from the cliff was enrapturing; the network of mountains blanketed in wind-whipped snow and stalked by winding glacier rivers; the vast wilderness of white and blue nothingness no doubt camouflaging some of the deadliest predators in the galaxy. And all of it framed by a blizzard that whipped back the hood of his cloak and caressed everything with skeletal touch.</p>
<p>Not ten-minutes on the planet and his small, reinforced vessel had already been wrapped in a gradually thickening sheet of ice and groaned under the gravitational assault.</p>
<p>He relished it.</p>
<p>The planet's true name was lost to history; gone with the last centuries-old cataclysm that had brought life to its knees. But to those that remained, the depth of its meaning was encompassed by one word in the elegant tones of his language.</p>
<p>Ryli.</p>
<p>Home.</p>
<p>His welcome party stood a few yards away; a solitary figure partially obscured by the sweeping, icy fog.</p>
<p>Elder Saol; clad in simple chiefly attire. He was short but stocky; purple skin that shone with a heavy red tone; muscles that were thick with seemingly endless youth; and an aged, beaten face.</p>
<p>As was the custom on this planet, he was in his true form; trust was the most valuable currency on this world.</p>
<p>"Kold." The elder greeted him curtly.</p>
<p>His lips didn't move; it would have been impossible to hear him over the blizzard. Instead the pearlescent carapace on his head glowed a hot, warlike red to convey meaning.</p>
<p>In such a hostile environment, it was an evolution that allowed them to communicate silently and in great detail in any element. No words, just an intuitive feeling, but Coola could hear the iron-like voice all the same.</p>
<p>"Elder." He responded, his own pearl flashing a brilliant purple.</p>
<p>"You're back." Saol's eyes flicked from Coola's own to observe the younger's immediate surroundings. "And alone."</p>
<p>The antipathy was palpable, but he knew better than to expect a warm welcome.</p>
<p>"You seem surprised."</p>
<p>"I am. I fully expected his highness to pollute our sacred world with another platoon of foreign mongrels."</p>
<p>The elder's tone dripped with sarcasm.</p>
<p>"You seem to have mistaken me for my brother."</p>
<p>"Have I?"</p>
<p>"It was Frieza who preferred to travel with an entourage."</p>
<p>His younger brother always had a perverse need to display his superiority everywhere he went, but ntt as perverse as his need to inflict suffering.</p>
<p>His honour guard had accompanied him on his last visit before he died. Most of them froze to death within hours of arriving.</p>
<p>"You'll forgive me." Elder Saol responded. "It's been so long since a Kold or their acolytes had deemed fit to grace us with their presence; it's become impossible to tell you heretics apart."</p>
<p>"Of course. I'll also forgive you for your impudent tone. My brother, on the other hand, would not have."</p>
<p>"A pity he's no longer with us then." Saol countered. "Last we heard, he'd been scattered like ash across the cosmos… and by a savage no less."</p>
<p>"You heard correctly; both he and my father."</p>
<p>"Disgraceful." The Elder's frowned deepened with his disgust. "The self-styled royal family have softened in their comfort; migration is a poisoned chalice."</p>
<p>"I intend to kill the one responsible."</p>
<p>"Why have you not done so already?"</p>
<p>"Bad timing."</p>
<p>The elder scoffed.</p>
<p>"Cowardice."</p>
<p>"I didn't realise you cared so much about the honour of my cursed family and our mongrel-filled empire."</p>
<p>"It is the conduct of our people we care the most about, Kold." He responded. "Free-mixing heretics you may be, but the monkey should have experienced the fullness of our wrath a long time ago."</p>
<p>Coola's eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>"And he will."</p>
<p>"Maybe so… Or maybe you'll end up dead and disgraced like the rest of your cursed line."</p>
<p>A tense silence reigned as Coola approached the Elder; their eyes narrowed and a reticent electricity seemed to sweep back the air between them.</p>
<p>Then he stepped around him.</p>
<p>"I didn't come here to entertain your superstitious rants or infantile generational grudges." He began, calmly. "As a citizen of this planet, I'm entitled to free passage and hospitality, am I not?"</p>
<p>"Unfortunately."</p>
<p>Coola strode past toward the mountain path.</p>
<p>"If you wish to deliver another of your tiresome lectures, you can do so on the way to the arc."</p>
<p>The journey was a five kilometre walk up the snaking mountain path.</p>
<p>Flight was for urgency on Ryli, the kind of urgency that only conflict, hunting, or long distance travel necessitated, and even then it was in small cooperatives. Groups.</p>
<p>Undue urgency was for the ill-prepared or the uncertain. The weak. High altitudes were also dangerous in a storm; not just for navigation but for survival. Flying predators or ice giants were easily camouflaged by the hail and blizzard, and such weather conditions often lasted for years at a time.</p>
<p>They trod the path in silence for a while, Elder Saol no doubt still digesting the display of disrespect only his family, with all their strength, could get away with. The quiet afforded him the opportunity to fully appreciate a rare return.</p>
<p>The last time he had visited, both his father and brother had been alive.</p>
<p>Homecoming was usually a pleasure, one that would normally warm his spirit in a way only conquest could match. He listened intently to the howling winds, the distant crash of a vast, cold-burning ocean, the sound of his footsteps as they crushed the shallow ice to the rock below. And, where the ice was the thinnest and weakest, he listened to it crack and shatter unaided under the intense gravitational assault. But the pleasure was muted.</p>
<p>The crescendo was a fitting metaphor for his empire's destruction.</p>
<p>The howling of his enemies as they circled and enclosed his worlds in turn… the endless waves of cybernetic monstrosities as they overwhelmed his forces and washed over them with ease… the gradual crushing and erosion of his organisation, his empire, his elite soldiers and his legacy…</p>
<p>Seven-hundred planets, a quarter of his rule, gone within months… and others, far more valuable, in the crosshairs.</p>
<p>However, for this excursion, Coola would attempt to submerge the weight of responsibility in his heritage.</p>
<p>"Beautiful, isn't it, Kold." Saol's voice cut through the wind. "Cataclysm after cataclysm has culled generations of the weak, the stupid, the uncooperative and the ill-prepared… leaving only the <em>strong</em>. Those <em>worthy</em> of living among us and continuing our lineage."</p>
<p>"You sound like a saiyan."</p>
<p>"Dishonouring your heritage with your flippancy… I expect nothing less." The elder scoffed. "Those monkey savages believed strength alone was enough for a powerful race, and look where they are now."</p>
<p>"And yet, in your own words, it's only the strong who are worthy to live here."</p>
<p>"Strong of <em>mind </em>as well as body. <em>Cooperation</em>." He corrected. "Our ancestors evolved with the environment but it was their <em>collective</em> strength that allowed them to prosper. Collectivism was far more important."</p>
<p>The elder was right, though goading him drew a sliver of satisfaction. The planet's genocidal climate had claimed more than its fair share of life, and what the climate did not kill, the predators often would… but it was survival in this environment that imbued his race with their fortitude. The trials the planet had inflicted upon its inhabitants stripped away their numbers with unrelenting efficiency. While most sapient planetary populations consisted of billions, Ryli's barely scratched a million. Maybe two. But what a million they were.</p>
<p>"Alone," Saol continued, "any one of us can be overcome."</p>
<p>"Present company notwithstanding."</p>
<p>The elder snorted derisively</p>
<p>"Arrogance."</p>
<p>Coola turned his gaze onto him. Then his eyes flicked to the horizon. Seconds later, the blizzard was cut and an explosion rocked the distant landscape, launching a vast wall of ice and snow high into the shivering sky. A tidal wave followed and threatened the frozen landscape… but then froze in the cold air, producing a permanent icy wall.</p>
<p>"No, Elder." He began, red eyes returning to the stocky leader. "Fact."</p>
<p>Saol met his gaze with equal conviction.</p>
<p>"Impressive." He responded. "Your father and brother could do the same… and now you can speak to them only through prayer."</p>
<p>A humoured humph drew the elder's curiosity.</p>
<p>"Arrogance and stupidity killed my family long before the saiyan could." He stated. "You should know better than to think me stupid enough to have stood still for all these years."</p>
<p>A brief silence reigned.</p>
<p>Somewhere in the distance, a panicked bestial roar echoed across the blizzard and an avalanche of snow crashed and froze on the ocean.</p>
<p>"I don't doubt your strength, Kold." Saol began, advancing past the younger rylo and continuing up the mountain path. "I doubt the saiyan's either."</p>
<hr/>
<p>The arcs were settlements dotted across the planet's northern hemisphere. They were large cooperatives of families, of varying prestige, with each settlement headed by an elder.</p>
<p>Planetary governance didn't exist in the traditional sense; arcs were largely independent with large swathes of continent outside the primary settlements in which to roam. A grand council of elders would regularly convene to discuss planetary and environmental affairs, record and preserve cultural practices, and ensure a fair distribution of food and technological resources.</p>
<p>It was a remarkable system, a stark contrast to the authoritarianism with which Coola ran his empire, and the arcs were just as impressive.</p>
<p>This one had been mined into the mountain and was guarded by a less than modest rock wall a-hundred meters high. Beyond the wall was a sharp downward slope before the path emerged into the settlement lights.</p>
<p>A fleeting pride swept through him as they arrived.</p>
<p>The cooperative was a neat collection of footpaths and small, architecturally efficient buildings that descended down the mountain interior, but their arrangement swept his view with colour down and into the mountain.</p>
<p>Two-hundred thousand souls roamed through the magnificent space. The main residential settlements were on the upper levels and an icy river meandered down between the buildings.</p>
<p>Further down was additional space for farming, livestock rearing, combat training, and food distribution.</p>
<p>Neat holes had been carved into the rock face high above the cultural metropolis for light to pour through, and what the light failed to illuminate, the artificial energy flowing through the settlement did. It was a simple but intimate marriage of nature and technology and it powered some of the mechanisms of their civilisation.</p>
<p>His race came in different shapes and colours and he noted the variations as he and the elder descended and skirted through; horned and un-horned; reds, purples, yellows, alabaster and white; short and tall… it was a strange feeling to be surrounded by his own kind after so long.</p>
<p>Comfort. It was comfortable.</p>
<p>The settlement had been developed over thousands of years to be simple and safe from outside predators.</p>
<p>Suddenly the odd homely comfort gave way to disappointment.</p>
<p>It was quaint.</p>
<p>A cultural curiosity but nothing more.</p>
<p>The rylo had forged a seemingly impossible standard of life for the environment they lived in. But, for a race as remarkable as his own, it paled in comparison to the prize they shunned<em>.</em></p>
<p>His feelings were a by-product of his upbringing among the stars. Indeed, it was the race's inherent superiority that formed the mandate for the Kold dynasty. They were the finest species in existence; the strongest, the most intelligent, the most elegant, the most efficient… they had the strength to truly dominate the galaxy. It was a shame, then, that their fanatically segregationist ideology was the antithesis of imperial conquest.</p>
<p>Isolated and lost.</p>
<p>Foolish.</p>
<p>Tragic.</p>
<p>Coola, on the other hand… his home was whichever planet he laid his eyes on and the galaxy was littered with the ashes of those who dared oppose him.</p>
<p>Civilisations knew his family as Frost Demons for a reason.</p>
<p>The Elder accommodation was understated and situated at the heart of the arc. Easy access for all sectors and a reminder to its serving head that he was to be among them. Coola's dreadnaught, by contrast, stood floating in the emptiness of space; heavily fortified, technologically advanced, and far from the planets he owned and the populaces he ruled.</p>
<p>As always, Coola strode through the streets of his home world heralded by an entourage of stares and a reticent chorus of whispers. It was always the case when a Kold visited and a small part of him usually relished the attention. Disapproval often followed mavericks. On this occasion, he was in no mood for curiosity or disdain.</p>
<p>He was more powerful than any of them, and his hard, blood red glares reminded them of that fact. True, unprovoked murder of his fellow rylo was taboo; if nothing else, he was respectful of the laws on his home planet. Still the glares were a reminder to all that the <em>capability</em> was there.</p>
<p>He held his gaze with each one until the gawkers fell silent and continued about their business.</p>
<p>A short while later, he was hosted in the elder's empty meeting room.</p>
<p>An audience with an Elder was usually difficult to obtain, fortunately, strength was almost as powerful commodity as trust. Even for a heretic. Beneath the Elders' disdain for the Kold's generations of imperial ambition, there was a deep respect for their sheer raw power and a desire for them to return to the fold. Coola was an expert at dangling that carrot, leveraging it to his advantage where he could.</p>
<p>As they'd approached the meeting room, a guard had laughably attempted to accost him until a quick word from Saol dismissed him, saving him from harm. They were obedient but he'd felt the glare of disdain as he retreated.</p>
<p>"You'll forgive the unease of our people." Saol began, claiming his seat. Free of the blizzard, his sarcasm now echoed freely in the room. "They aren't accustomed to <em>foreigners</em>."</p>
<p>A young alabaster child strode in urgently a moment later, baring two cups of fermented giant's blood. A delicacy. He handed the first to the elder without issue but froze, eyes wide, under Coola's casual gaze.</p>
<p>He looked like Frieza, Coola noted.</p>
<p>"Perhaps they should spend some time away from this world." He replied, taking the drink and watching amusedly the child scurried off. "Broaden their horizons, as it were."</p>
<p>"And disgrace themselves by indulging in your ancestors' depravity? A self-imposed exile, abandoning the home world that has nurtured their strength for generations; sully themselves by free-mixing with the lesser beings of the cosmos?"</p>
<p>"You mean our subjugation of the galaxy for the glory of our people? Untold wealth and influence spanning light-years and star-systems?"</p>
<p>"Hubris." Saol spat. "Look around, we're surrounded by glory. Our people are imbued with strength, a robust spirit and an unbreakable will, and all of it gifted by the trials this planet has inflicted upon us. Your ancestors' conquest was for their glory alone."</p>
<p>"This is glory to you?"</p>
<p>"We are a simple people. Perhaps, in their arrogance and greed, your family have forgotten that."</p>
<p>"All I see is survival. Mediocrity."</p>
<p>"Careful, Kold…"</p>
<p>"Why; will your pet soldier return to punish me?" He challenged. "What you call simplicity, I call a lack of ambition. I am well-versed on the history of our people and it astonishes me how little we've achieved with our prowess. An entire universe is there for the taking if we just reach out and grasp it."</p>
<p>Saol glared at Coola.</p>
<p>"Why did you come here?" He asked, voice gravelly and even. "Did you request my time just to dishonour your people and laud your moral pollution and falsehoods over us?"</p>
<p>Their combined gaze heated the silent room.</p>
<p>"I came to perform my duty."</p>
<p>The elder looked at him incredulously before a laugh echoed through the room.</p>
<p>"How?" Saol asked, amused. "Does <em>his highness</em> intend to toil in the ice fields to harvest crops? Tend the life stock for slaughter? Or perhaps ferment their blood for our beverages?"</p>
<p>"Elder, you should know such tasks are beneath me." He responded with a light smile.</p>
<p>"Of course. Those are for slaves, like the ones you offered to us."</p>
<p>"I remain disappointed the Grand Council rejected them. Conquering that planet had taken significant investment; they would have been a valuable asset in elevating us."</p>
<p>The elder snapped his fingers and another cup was brought to him.</p>
<p>"If you call laziness elevation. You're lucky rejection was all we did; sending back their heads would have been a more fitting response if it didn't require suffering their presence for the executions."</p>
<p>"Luckily, Lott was able to find a buyer."</p>
<p>Saol took a large gulp of his drink.</p>
<p>"Another morally-deficient bastard." He growled, sourly.</p>
<p>"Was 'unwanted foreign presence' also the reason you rejected my offer of a private fleet to defend the planet?"</p>
<p>"An empty gesture to a world that has never been invaded. And a grotesque display of bastardised wealth."</p>
<p>"Arrogance born from comfort." Coola responded, sipping elegantly from his own cup. The flavour was tangy and strong. "This planet is inhospitable to most but there are a few species who could infiltrate undetected and survive here if properly provisioned. In the long run, invasion wouldn't be impossible."</p>
<p>Saol's eyes darkened in challenge. Coola's were unwavering in fortitude.</p>
<p>"I wouldn't." He stated calmly. "I just take it as a point of pride to consider every conceivable threat to both my empire and my home planet. As did my father." His cup gradually emptied. "But just so we're clear, the only reason Ryli remains untouched in this galaxy is out of fear of my retribution."</p>
<p>The elder kept his gaze locked on Coola as he took another slow draw from his cup.</p>
<p>"We are a proud and strong people." He growled through gritted teeth. "We require no assistance in the defence of our world, particularly from heretics."</p>
<p>Coola drained the last of the drink, unperturbed by the elder's demeanour.</p>
<p>"I'm glad you're in the mood for war." He responded. "But you'll need my assistance for what's coming."</p>
<p>Saol regarded him with intense scrutiny.</p>
<p>"And what is coming?"</p>
<p>"Annihilation." Coola's voice was uncharacteristically gravelly. "A cybernetic swarm the likes of which the galaxy has never seen. They've laid waste to planets, annihilated entire species and brought down entire star systems in mere months."</p>
<p>His words were heavy and a silence hung over the room.</p>
<p>Saol squinted, seemingly scrutinising him for any trace of deception as he sipped his drink. Then, much to Coola's surprise. He smiled.</p>
<p>Then he laughed.</p>
<p>"So <em>that's</em> it…" Saol chucked. "His highness is a king without a kingdom. I warned your father and his father before him that your lineage would be cursed unless they abandoned their abominable imperial folly and returned to the planet that birthed them, but they refused to listen."</p>
<p>A death beam… that's all it would take.</p>
<p>"You can't fight them, can you?" The elder continued. "They laid waste to your armies, didn't they? Defeated your forces at every turn and slaughtered your finest soldiers? And now that farcical empire lays in near ruins and you've tucked tail and run back to us instead of facing the consequences of your family's arrogance."</p>
<p>Saol shook his head in disdain as he continued.</p>
<p>"I knew you were heretics but I never took you for cowards."</p>
<p>Coola finished his drink silently, imagining the hard pink bullet of concentrated energy piecing the pearlescent red ornament on the old bastard's head and painting the walls with chemical and brain matter. Had he been his brother, it would have been a reality.</p>
<p>Then again, had he been his brother, this planet would've been conquered for sport years ago and his foolish father would've sat back impotently and watched.</p>
<p>"I've suffered your insults out of respect alone but I remain the most powerful being in this universe."</p>
<p>Saol tossed his cup aside, leaning forward in his chair.</p>
<p>"So powerful he has yet to avenge the murder of his father and brother? So powerful he needs our strength to reclaim his empire… and foolish enough to ask knowing what our answer will be?"</p>
<p>"I don't need your help to reclaim my empire; that will be done in time."</p>
<p>The elder scoffed as he pressed on.</p>
<p>"I'm here because Ryli is in the crosshairs of the biggest invasion force in the galaxy and they'll be here in a matter of days."</p>
<p>That caught the elder's attention. Coola placed the cup on the floor, composed despite his passion.</p>
<p>"Call the ground council together and amass an army if you must, but I'm here to defend this planet and preserve our race." He continued, meeting his challenger readily. "And I will do so with or without you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Unity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Unity</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Saol had made a three-thousand mile flight in a record three hours, and by nightfall no less, such was the urgency of his message. He sat reclined in the Grand Council accommodation; a figure of intense contemplation, fatigue seemingly forgotten as he stared transfixed by swirling ball of ki illuminating the room.</p>
<p>It served as a fitting metaphor for his discontent.</p>
<p>He seemed oblivious to his fellow Elders; Friyo, Kaudo, Bevonen, and Elder Gali, who formed the circle of wisdom. He'd been unmoved even by the fermented drink next to his seat, an occurrence that had greatly perturbed his fellow senior rylo, but not as perturbing as his message.</p>
<p>"What are we fighting?"</p>
<p>Elder Gali, the host and most senior among them, was direct as always… stone faced and smothered in robes that pooled on the floor but his voice held a gentle authority.</p>
<p>"Humph… the righteous vengeance the heretics wrought upon themselves…" Came the uncompromising response from his left.</p>
<p>Elder Bevonen.</p>
<p>Saol's eyes flicked to each of his fellow elders in turn.</p>
<p>"The specifics of the threat remain unclear." He finally responded, voice firm yet gravelly. "They don't fit the profile of any known race in the galaxy but Kold describes them as 'Husks'… machine mutants. Their 'ships' arrive on a planet, deploy these… monstrosities, consume the locals, then birth twisted mutations of them more powerful than their sapient counterparts."</p>
<p>Elder Friyo listened intently.</p>
<p>"Does he know their goal?" He asked.</p>
<p>"Destruction." Was Saol's abrupt response. "Beyond that, nothing more."</p>
<p>Gali's eyes shifted down, brows creasing in thought.</p>
<p>"What's the scale of the threat?"</p>
<p>"Full numbers are unknown but apparently they've swept over a quarter of the bastard's empire and scattered his forces to the wind." He replied. "They were intelligent too; they attacked his bases first and crippled his military personnel, and his finest minds… as fine as a lesser being's mind could be anyway… And their attacks are somehow coordinated, hitting planets that are light-years apart simultaneously and stretching his forces thinner still."</p>
<p>"Karma." Bevonen added.</p>
<p>"Perhaps." Friyo responded. "But, if Kold is to be believed, we're in the crosshairs of this invasion force as well." He eyed Bevonen briefly. "Roughly a billion species per planet multiplied by seven-hundred planets…"</p>
<p>"Gracious…" Bevonen breathed.</p>
<p>"If this threat is conquering the galaxy then its forces will be stretched." Gali reasoned. "When will they arrive?"</p>
<p>Saol paused, breath even as he studied the light once again.</p>
<p>"A day… possibly two."</p>
<p>A heavy silence fell on the room.</p>
<p>"My question is, how?" Kaudo enquired intently. "How could they find us?"</p>
<p>"It doesn't matter."</p>
<p>"Come on, Saol! We're a small planet at the far end of the galaxy, far from any others in his empire. How could they have found us on their own?"</p>
<p>"Be careful with your accusations, Kaudo." Gali warned.</p>
<p>"But would it surprise any of us here?"</p>
<p>"Yes." Saol stated sternly. "Me."</p>
<p>"How?" He demanded, incredulous. "You of all should know that heretic family hold nothing but contempt for our way of life."</p>
<p>"But not for our people! They would make us lazy with offers of slaves and insult our strength by offering us 'protection', even flaunt their bastard wealth when among us… but the Kolds would never conspire to destroy us. Especially Coola."</p>
<p>"You cannot be sure of that." Bevonen pressed. "Nothing is beyond a heretic."</p>
<p>Kaudo nodded in agreement.</p>
<p>"Assuming Coola <em>didn't </em>conspire with this threat, how do you suppose they found us without him leading them here?" He pressed, eyes locked with Saol's own.</p>
<p>But Saol met his unwaveringly.</p>
<p>"He came here to warn us." He replied evenly.</p>
<p>"And, in doing so, led them here. If he hadn't been so reckless then-"</p>
<p>"Then what? Does 'galactic conquest' not mean the same thing to you as it does to me?" Saol countered forcefully. "They would have found us eventually, only then there would have been no warning."</p>
<p>There is no guarantee that-!"</p>
<p>"Elders."</p>
<p>Gali's reserved seniority was enough to silence the room</p>
<p>"Saol is right." He continued. "Regardless of the rights or wrongs of his actions, or any alleged ulterior motive, Kold's decision to warn has given us time to prepare."</p>
<p>He turned to Elder Friyo.</p>
<p>"Your foragers and scouts are well-provisioned, correct?"</p>
<p>Friyo nodded.</p>
<p>"How many do you have off world at present?"</p>
<p>"Five-thousand, Elder."</p>
<p>"I think it would be wise to add five-thousand more. Let them all remain at their stations as a first line of defence."</p>
<p>He then turned to Saol.</p>
<p>"Did Kold provide any other specifics as to their typical pattern of attack?"</p>
<p>Saol finally found his drink and took a long, easing gulp.</p>
<p>"They attack populated areas, typically from above and from below simultaneously. Most of the attacks start with so called 'seeds' which burrow into the ground and lay dormant for months, long before the main invasion force arrives. Apparently, that's how his military bases were crippled." Saol couldn't help the spiteful chuckle that escaped him, humourless as it was. "They usually emerge from the ground or the sea. Often both. However, this doesn't work with species that live at high altitude.</p>
<p>"Like us." Bevonen added.</p>
<p>"Given how far out we are, I doubt any of these abominable seeds would have found us." Friyo added. "And I doubt they'd be able to survive our seas too."</p>
<p>That was correct. Ryli's seas and oceans were a natural phenomenon; burning cold, wafting smoke and blanketing the horizons with a natural mist near year round. There were very few creatures who could survive there.</p>
<p>"Even if they had, we don't have time to scour the planet." Saol added. "It's a risk we'll have to take."</p>
<p>Gali nodded.</p>
<p>"Then it's safe to assume they'll attack from the sky and they'll be coming to us… meaning <em>we</em> choose the terrain."</p>
<p>"They'll be attacking in waves." Saol added. "Each stronger than the last."</p>
<p>"But none as powerful as the Rylosi." Bevonen declared.</p>
<p>The room echoed a chorus of vocal agreement.</p>
<p>Gali sat forward and eyed each of his fellow Elders in turn.</p>
<p>"Our people have survived three cataclysms, each worse than the last, yet we have<em> endured</em> every one and grown stronger for it." He declared. "We are the finest beings nature could produce with no equal in this or any other universe. We will not be wiped out by a foreign invader."</p>
<p>The room echoed again, this time louder. It was daybreak before the illuminating ball dissipated and the meeting ended.</p>
<p>"Return to your arcs and prepare our citizens for war." He'd declared. "We will be ready."</p>
<p>The elders had filed out in turn, each offering salutations before they departed toward their own regencies until only Saol and Gali remained. Elder though he may have been, he began his ascent among the Rylosi ranks as personal guard and mentee to the planet's most senior Elder. Though it had been nearly a century since his departure, and he'd long since been replaced, old habits die hard.</p>
<p>Plus, the fatigue had finally caught up with him.</p>
<p>The Valour Range was a collection of mountains so high they pierced Ryli's clouds and cast a moonlit shadow over the continent. Formed by the first cataclysm more than five thousand years prior; they served as an orbital landmark for the Rylosi foragers, such was their scale. And Arc Valour, Ryli's northernmost settlement, sat straddled triumphantly across the five peaks.</p>
<p>It would be another three-thousand mile flight southwest back to Arc Triumph, so he hadn't been able to resist Gali's offer for breakfast before he departed.</p>
<p>"Elder Saol." Gali had called him, as he exited the room.</p>
<p>He turned to face Gali, who rose from his seat. His robes dragged along the floor as he floated, legless, to meet the younger arc patriarch.</p>
<p>"Bevonen is wise… a heretic is capable of anything."</p>
<hr/>
<p>The war horns had echoed across all five arcs later that morning but, away from the cooperatives, it was drowned out by the blizzard.</p>
<p>The afternoon air was rent with a deafening wail as the frostgiant tore through the icy valley. Every stride shook the ground and shattered the icy rock below as it pursued the young rylo… blue eyes glowing hotter with rage with every futile swing of its arms.</p>
<p>Another roar shook the landscape, dominating the valley with a deafening echo and stripping ice from the rocky walls with sheer force alone.</p>
<p>With a growl, it <em>spat</em> a ball of pure <em>sound</em> at the young rylo, who dodged neatly and flipped gracefully through the air as the boulder shattered under the assault. A deadly fist followed, one larger than his body, but he elegantly evaded both the swing and the resulting rock avalanche all the same.</p>
<p>For most this was a nightmare; for Lodo, it was freedom.</p>
<p>Adrenaline coursed through the young giant hunter as he darted low through the rapidly narrowing valley, expertly dodging the frostgiant's steps as he led it towards the trap.</p>
<p>This one was relatively small, roughly forty feet tall, but powerful… Broad-backed and thickly chested; legs tapered with thick muscle; long arms decorated in tufts of white fur; and small but broad face grimacing menacingly from a small, neckless head.</p>
<p>Like all giants it was a phenomenal leaper, with white camouflaging fur that made him dangerous in the air even to low flying predators.</p>
<p>On the ground, however…</p>
<p>Lodo dodged a clumsy step and darted away from the resulting stumble as the creature brushed the valley walls. Another shriek of fury escaped its jaws and it spat another shockwave before resuming the pursuit.</p>
<p>Most giants were relatively intelligent when calm… but when rage took over, they became predictable in their aggression. This one in particular was so consumed by anger, it failed to notice the rapidly narrowing walls until its shoulders became wedged in the valley walls.</p>
<p>Lodo leapt up as it grasped searchingly and writhed futilely to free itself, but its anger was quickly sobered when it noticed the steep drop in the valley floor.</p>
<p>Too late.</p>
<p>A sharp kick to the back squeezed it through the natural gate, chipping large shards of rock in its wake, and sent both careening three-hundred feet to the icy floor below.</p>
<p>The landing crash was almost oud enough to cut through the blizzard, as were the cries of pain as the giant rolled sloppily onto its back. It had barely lifted its head from the icy floor before Lodo landed hard on its chest, eliciting a sharp roar from the creature.</p>
<p>Then the young rylo grabbed the monster's face.</p>
<p>A forceful twist severed the vertebrae and silenced the behemoth for good.</p>
<p>He studied his kill for a moment, the heat of its breath ceasing momentarily, before an audible clap cut through the wind and he turned to see a purple-skinned spectator.</p>
<p>His face broke into a smile.</p>
<p>"Apa!" He yelled.</p>
<p>Coola floated from the cliff as the rylina sprinted towards him.</p>
<p>"You flatter me." He responded. "But I'm no apa."</p>
<p>"Sure you are. You're the smartest, wisest person I know."</p>
<p>"Smarter than Elder Friyo or Saol? Wiser than Elder Gali?"</p>
<p>"They don't have an empire."</p>
<p>Coola chuckled.</p>
<p>"They rule one planet but you've conquered <em>hundreds</em>."</p>
<p>"Thousands." He corrected. "Though conquest is no measure of intelligence. Any fool can amass an army and any warrior can conquer but-"</p>
<p>"It takes a scholar to rule."</p>
<p>The words left Lodo's lips with a confident smirk and Coola couldn't help but reciprocate.</p>
<p>"Precisely. I see you've been reading the books I sent to you."</p>
<p>"All of them. I've been keeping them a secret too."</p>
<p>"Excellent."</p>
<p>Hard red eyes appraised the rylina before him; a prime specimen of Rylosi excellence.</p>
<p>The giant hunter was a prodigious adolescent; surprisingly tall and lean for his young age, only a head shorter than himself, but it allowed for a quickness others couldn't hope to match and he had the mind to compliment it.</p>
<p>His pale red eyes held endless curiosity and his armoured skin was a patchwork of alabaster white flecked with the palest pink. His carapace was crowned with a deep red ornament and the pearling was duplicated on his chest, arms and shins.</p>
<p>Wordlessly Coola extended his arm towards Lodo and the rylina reciprocated, grasping it firmly. And both their pearls glowed against the wispy blues and whites of the valley, radiating with warmth and significance.</p>
<p>Family in all but blood.</p>
<p>"You've grown taller since last time." Coola commented, releasing the appendage.</p>
<p>He'd been a young orphan when Coola had been alerted to him, only a few years since his hatching and no taller than his knee… but he'd held a stubborn spirit and a prodigious strength that had been impossible to ignore.</p>
<p>"I thought you could tell from the video calls."</p>
<p>"They're no substitute for a face to face interaction, particularly the first since the last cycle." He admonished half-heartedly. "I trust the others kept the device hidden?"</p>
<p>Lodo nodded.</p>
<p>Coola's eyes then shifted from the rylina to his forty-foot kill.</p>
<p>"You've gotten stronger too." He began, stepping past the young giant hunter to inspect the fallen prey. "Not quite fully grown but extremely powerful none the less. Impressive to make such a kill on your own."</p>
<p>Oddly enough, the boy's smile was immediately dampened.</p>
<p>"Thanks." Came the clipped response. Lodo's brows furrowed as he stepped towards the frostgiant's enormous head; it piqued Coola's curiosity.</p>
<p>"I assume you often kill these young giants?" He continued.</p>
<p>"All the time." He responded<em>.</em> "Big ones too."</p>
<p>"How many?"</p>
<p>"Seven so far."</p>
<p>This abruptness was becoming irritating. Still, he persisted.</p>
<p>"Very impressive. There are a number of creatures on dangerous worlds I believe you would do well against… to take down one alone at your age is remarkable." He stated, noting the loosely moving skull and broken vertebrae. "Which makes your lack of enthusiasm all the more confusing."</p>
<p>His eyes hardened as he peered searchingly at the younger rylo; deep, pearlescent crimson dominating pale red. Coola admired the boy's strength and intelligence, and preferred action and leadership by example in his circles than boastfulness or self-aggrandizement. But forlornness and moodiness were not qualities he valued and it was uncharacteristic of Lodo.</p>
<p>He didn't need to hear the response, the furrowed brows told the story.</p>
<p>"I'm proud of it, you know…" he began, uncertainly.</p>
<p>"As you should be."</p>
<p>He watched as Lodo pulled a tooth free from the giant's jaw. A strong, near unbreakable trophy that would be filed down and re-purposed for tools and furniture before being distributed among the five arcs. But not before Lodo struck a piece off as a trophy.</p>
<p>"Being strong and killing giants gets you a lot of prestige but…" He paused, grunting in effort.</p>
<p>"But?"</p>
<p>"But 'a strong rylo is nothing, while the Rylosi is everything'." The furrowed brows creased into a scowl reminiscent of his Unit Captain.</p>
<p>Of course… It was clear that the rylina's maverick, individualistic tendencies continued to be at odds with the Rylosi. The antithesis of their collectivist mentality.</p>
<p>"Elder Gali."</p>
<p>It sounded like him. It was more a statement than a question, but Lodo nodded all the same.</p>
<p>"He said that to me when I met him after I killed my first grey." Lodo continued. "It must've been about sixty feet tall. I was the first rylina ever to do it too… But-"</p>
<p>"But what? You were expecting a reward?"</p>
<p>Lodo blinked in surprise, then had the grace to look embarrassed as he wilted under Coola's gaze.</p>
<p>"No. I mean… he's right… we're stronger together than we are individually, but I just thought that-"</p>
<p>"That an elder old enough to have witnessed the last cataclysm that befell our planet, and who has seen a hundred prodigies just like you come and go, would single you out for special praise and attention?"</p>
<p>"No!" Lodo asserted, brows narrowing in uncertain defiance. "I just wanted to be acknowledged as a strong rylo. How can the Rylosi be everything if the members are weak?"</p>
<p>Coola studied the young rylina briefly, before a sigh left his lips.</p>
<p>"Grow up."</p>
<p>"Wha-?"</p>
<p>"We are a cooperative and live and die by each other; to this end, the Elders are right. But, also, the stronger the rylo are, the more powerful the Rylosi will be; to that end, you are right. An exceptional individual can elevate the group to greatness where all else fails."</p>
<p>Coola punctuated his statement by looking, once again, at the dead frostgiant.</p>
<p>"But that is strength of <em>mind</em> and <em>will</em>, not just talent and physical prowess. And you cannot be strong, moreover, you cannot be a <em>leader</em>, if you are dependent on recognition from others."</p>
<p>Lodo looked down contemplatively, Coola's words no doubt having the intended effect.</p>
<p>"But, for what good it will do, you are powerful, ambitious, and intelligent." He finally continued. "Qualities I value highly in my ranks."</p>
<p>His face lit up hopefully.</p>
<p>"Does that mean-?"</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>The boy looked like he'd been punched.</p>
<p>"But why?"</p>
<p>"I foresee great things in your future. But you're not ready."</p>
<p>"I've read every book you sent me, cover to cover." He continued, perplexed. "Plus I'm strong, intelligent and ambitious… you said it yourself. I've been ready to join you for a long time."</p>
<p>Coola closed his eyes and sighed. Perhaps he was more boastful than he'd anticipated.</p>
<p>"But are you ready to leave the cradle with no knowledge on when you will return? To be viewed as a heretic by your own people for the crime of ambition and greater purpose?" Coola looked unconvinced. Your time will come."</p>
<p>"My time is <em>now</em>!"</p>
<p>Unmoved, the elder rylo turned away from the rylina.</p>
<p>"How can I prove it to you?"</p>
<p>Lodo fixed him with a look of uncompromising determination. It was hard not to admire him for it; it reminded him of the Chief.</p>
<p>"Pleasant as it is to return to the home world, I did not return without good reason."</p>
<p>The look on his face and the severity of his tone was enough to capture Lodo's attention and strip him of any argument.</p>
<p>"There's an invasion coming, Lodo… monsters who have conquered half the galaxy, destroying species and consuming life wherever they find it and Ryli is directly in the crosshairs."</p>
<p>Lodo studied him for a moment, clearly unnerved by the revelation.</p>
<p>"You came back to warn us?"</p>
<p>Coola nodded.</p>
<p>"And defend us." He continued. "My empire has not been unaffected either, hundreds of my worlds have been lost to this menace, but that is secondary to the survival of our home. Even a heretic must recognise that all that he is and everything he has achieved is owed to the strength bestowed upon him by the trials of this planet. It's my duty to defend it."</p>
<p>Lodo nodded in understanding, then his eyes hardened.</p>
<p>"When will they be here?"</p>
<p>"Given the rapid progress they've made throughout the galaxy thus far, I would say days. Were they to appear tomorrow; it would not surprise me."</p>
<p>Coola's stepped toward the rylina, placed a hand on his shoulder and studied him; his face a picture of scrutiny.</p>
<p>"If you really want to impress me, prove to me that you understand the importance of our home and give everything to defend it."</p>
<hr/>
<p>He'd awoken to disorientation and weightlessness and found himself floating in a regeneration tank. It was only when the viscous fluid drained and his feet touched the metal flooring that he realised the extent of the damage to his body.</p>
<p>Two shaky steps later, his mind fogged, his legs gave out and he collapsed into a pair of waiting arms.</p>
<p>"Uncle…?" He slurred.</p>
<p>But the arms holding him were far larger, far pinker, and spiked at the forearms. General Bolo. Seven feet tall, peering down at him instead and perplexed at the address.</p>
<p>"Easy, Captain." Came a wispy voice to his left.</p>
<p>He turned to see a green reptilian looking sapient in a white robe staring awkwardly. One of the station's lab coats.</p>
<p>"You were in that tank for quite some time; it'll take a while for your body to adjust."</p>
<p>"Wha… what happened…?" He breathed foggily, more to himself than anyone else.</p>
<p>"You were near death when your pod first arrived at the station."</p>
<p>"Wha…?"</p>
<p>Everything felt… <em>off</em>… His muscles felt inflamed and prickly, his mind foggy, his joints stiff and gravelly… and all of it accompanied by a lingering heat like a spent oven.</p>
<p>"Some amnesia is to be expected, General, given the length of time…"</p>
<p>Amnesia and limited motor control.</p>
<p>By the third attempt at standing, he'd managed to right himself and looked quizzically at the doctor.</p>
<p>"How… how long was I out…?" He rasped.</p>
<p>"Four months, Sir."</p>
<p>"Four months…!" The words escaped him in an incredulous croak. His body jerked with clumsy urgency but the head rush subdued him and Bolo and the doctor guided him towards a chair.</p>
<p>"You don't remember, Captain?" Bolo added. "The base, Sector 32."</p>
<p>A look of glassy confusion crossed his young face… then the mist cleared immediately.</p>
<p>"Sauza."</p>
<p>The fire in his lungs… the grip around his throat… the burning in his muscles as his body tapped into that well of power and the heady mix of searing pain and euphoria as it flooded his veins… the overwhelming storm of mindless, tunnel-visioned rage as he tore the monster apart… the fleeting satisfaction as he vaporised him…</p>
<p>The Sauza Blade piercing his side…</p>
<p>His left hand frantically searched his torso and, sure enough, the brown skin was blighted by one more scar. This one thick, calloused, and stretching from hip to navel.</p>
<p>"Your blood loss had been significant." The doctor commented, interrupting his thoughts. "Frankly, if it hadn't been for the stasis, I doubt you would have survived the journey back."</p>
<p>Stasis…?</p>
<p>The pods, he remembered. The Elite models were designed to track their pilots' vitals, retrieve them if need them if need be, and transport them to the nearest medical station. But, exhausted and heavy as he felt, he could still tell this was too small to be a space station medical centre.</p>
<p>"Where's Coola?" He asked, shakily accepting a glass of water from the lap coat.</p>
<p>"Gone." Bolo replied.</p>
<p>"Gone…?"</p>
<p>Bolo didn't respond. Instead, he handed him some spandex and a pair of boots.</p>
<p>"A lot has happened while you've been recovering, Captain. You need to be brought up to speed."</p>
<p>Three hours later, he was cleaner, clothed, and limping towards the ship's populated mess hall. Much of the pain had subsided, and the fogginess had cleared, yet fatigue, heaviness and warmth still lingered.</p>
<p>Ki exhaustion. He didn't need a lab coat to diagnose the familiar symptoms.</p>
<p>He <em>hated</em> transforming.</p>
<p>The feeling was euphoric but the comedown was always earthshattering. Still, he'd experienced worse; the aftermath of his first transformation had felt like death.</p>
<p>Idly, he wondered if this crippling side effect was true for all super saiyans. Did his father experience this? How did he cope with it?</p>
<p>His mind drifted to every flared nerve as he limped into the mess hall… right into a wall of silence and a sea of stares.</p>
<p>It was packed end to end with soldiers, hard-hearted and battle-scarred, with physical and psychological calluses from wars older than his fourteen-years. It was impressive they'd survived for so long, given the perils of their duty, but then excellence was the standard in Lord Coola's army. And that was constantly being re-defined.</p>
<p>Weak soldiers were walking corpses and success had made the warriors unruly; it took a particular strength of character to keep them in line. Power was the currency of the universe, after all. <em>Conspicuous</em> power.</p>
<p>But perceptions were fragile.</p>
<p>Chief was as aware of that fact as he was at the eyes watching him… and a sudden surge of self-consciousness flooded through him. His limp was like a badge, a vulnerability, displayed proudly on his sleeve.</p>
<p>Coola had never limped.</p>
<p>Bolo had never limped.</p>
<p>For a moment, he was a four-year-old again… a lamb in a den of hungry wolves. Then he remembered that, weak as he felt now, he could still wipe them all out effortlessly if he wanted to and take out the entire ship with them.</p>
<p>A familiar scowl screwed the Unit Captain's brow tightly and he strode across the mess hall while the General flanked him closely.</p>
<p><em>He</em> was the wolf now, and the sheep were… clapping?</p>
<p>Then cheering.</p>
<p>"They're glad to see you back." The General had told him. "It's been a rough few months."</p>
<p>It was a strange feeling and he wasn't sure he liked it.</p>
<p>Wordlessly, he'd dissipated the discreet, defensive energy ball he hadn't even realised he'd summoned… it was a mildly alarming loss of control.</p>
<p>Their dining table was private, away from the prying eyes and ears of the soldiers, and it had been lined abundantly. It had only taken the delicate aroma of sizzling meat, dripping fat, nutrient-filled carbs and buttered vegetables for the scowl to ease. His tail twitched and his stomach to growl with the decibels of an oozaru roar.</p>
<p>It took less than a second to dig in as Bolo watched on in amusement, his own large meal set aside. It was hardly surprising considering the Chief had survived on a diet of tube-fed, mineral-rich fluid for the past four months. It hadn't escaped the General's notice that his spandex didn't fit quite as tightly.</p>
<p>"Your appetite never ceases to amaze me, Captain."</p>
<p>Chief swallowed.</p>
<p>"You don't need to call me that, Bo." He responded. "The others aren't here."</p>
<p>"Force of habit." He conceded.</p>
<p>Two plates of food later, much of the young saiyan's energy had returned as did his scrutinising and demanding nature.</p>
<p>"Where are we?" He asked, filling yet another plate. It was more a demand than a question. "The closest medical station to the base was on FR300. If I was as fucked up as the doctor said, my pod should've taken me there."</p>
<p>"The Royal. One of King Kold's old dreadnaughts." The General responded. "And you're right, FR300 <em>was</em> the closest… until it was destroyed."</p>
<p>"How?"</p>
<p>"You." The General responded, and Chief's brow quirked in confusion. "There was an assassination attempt. Word spread that you were out of commission and it was an opportunity too good to resist."</p>
<p>Chief paused momentarily before continuing with his food.</p>
<p>"Pussies." He scoffed.</p>
<p>And Bolo laughed.</p>
<p>"Who?"</p>
<p>"A few traitors in our ranks. Fairly new recruits. Seems they held a grudge about you clearing out their home planet."</p>
<p>"Join the club."</p>
<p>"I would tell them to if they were still alive." The General responded. "As you can imagine, Coola didn't take kindly to their ambition. They paid a heavy price for that. You've been on the move ever since."</p>
<p>A grunt and the clink of cutlery was the only response.</p>
<p>"We thought that was it." Bolo continued. "Then someone tried to kidnap you."</p>
<p>That caught the Chief's attention. He studied Bolo for a moment and the general met him with a look of professional neutrality. He was serious.</p>
<p>The moment lingered indefinitely until the young saiyan grabbed an errant bone and tore off a slab of meat with his teeth.</p>
<p>"Wouldn't be the first time." He muttered, eyes narrowed on his meal. "When?"</p>
<p>"Less than a month ago."</p>
<p>"Who?" He demanded, almost affronted. "Trophy hunters?"</p>
<p>He'd had run-ins with a few. A saiyan's tail was worth a fortune on the black market given the rarity of the species, pure bred or otherwise. He could add bounty hunters to the long list of enemies he'd inherited from his ancestors.</p>
<p>Chief was defiant though. While his uncle had kept his tail wrapped discretely around his waist, the Unit Captain kept his erect and proud.</p>
<p>But trophy hunters wouldn't make sense. Most were opportunists who lacked the strength and sophistication to attempt an attack on the military. There were far simpler, less suicidal ways to line your pockets.</p>
<p>"The investigation is ongoing."</p>
<p>"Meaning they got away." The tone was accusatory. "How?"</p>
<p>"They were good." Bolo responded, unperturbed by the impromptu interrogation. "They knew our movements and attacked the ship during a re-supply. They weren't particularly strong but used their power well… even managed to sedate you before we foiled the plot. The lab coat believes that contributed to your extended nap."</p>
<p>"Figures." He spoke casually, savaging more meat from the bone. "Why me?"</p>
<p>Killing he could understand, but kidnapping?</p>
<p>"You're not a fan of your newfound popularity, Saiyan?"</p>
<p>A glare was the response.</p>
<p>"We'll find the culprits soon enough. Vash and Mussul are chasing a lead with Dore and Neiz, it should only be a matter of time before we unravel the mystery."</p>
<p>Chief only grunted, filling a fourth plate.</p>
<p>"Vash was <em>particularly </em>pissed off about the whole thing…" The General began; brow quirked, and smirk ever-present.</p>
<p>A weary scowl was the Unit Captain's response but one undercut by a mouthful of food. He swallowed the last of his rice bowl before his eyes preyed on the vegetables.</p>
<p>"What about the empire; what have I missed?"</p>
<p>Bolo's playful demeanour vanished</p>
<p>"We're at war." He declared. "We saw your scouter footage from Base 032… what we could recover at least before it was destroyed. I'm not sure how much you remember but it was a 'seed' that hit the base, some kind of cybernetic intelligence that feeds on organic tissue, mutates it and transforms it into soldiers. The same thing happened to a junker on Afterlife a couple of months prior."</p>
<p>The memory intruded at the forefront of his mind.</p>
<p>"The Afterlife incident…"</p>
<p>Bolo nodded.</p>
<p>"We thought it was a virus and that we were looking at a potential pandemic, turns out it was a highly adaptive parasite. Non-contagious but those things use it to transform their victims. Base 032 was the first one taken down but that wasn't the only place they landed. There were more. A <em>lot </em>more."</p>
<p>A familiar knot crept through the Unit Captain's core. For a moment, his boots were soaked in purple water and Sauza stood before him in the cavern all over again.</p>
<p>'<em>The others will accomplish what I do not.'</em></p>
<p>"Most of our other bases fell shortly after you went down and there was nothing we could do. Those things don't just feed on organic tissue, they consume machines as well; our pods and ships… When the planetary invasions started, most of our bases were undermanned, under-equipped, and near helpless to stop them."</p>
<p>"How many planets?"</p>
<p>He didn't even want to know the answer. And, judging by Bolo's brief pause and creased brow, he was reluctant to give it to him.</p>
<p>"More than seven-hundred at our last count." He finally responded.</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>"That's more than a quarter of the empire…"</p>
<p>'<em>Omega… An instrument by which this galaxy will be perfected.'</em></p>
<p>Bolo nodded.</p>
<p>"…In just four months." The General concluded. "And that's just those under the empire's influence. Beyond that… too many to count."</p>
<p>It was almost laughable to think that, for all his power and for as long as his recovery had been, his fight with Sauza had been completely inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.</p>
<p>"Which sectors?"</p>
<p>The general shook his head incredulously.</p>
<p>"A better question would be, which sectors <em>didn't</em> they attack? Most of them are under siege and Sectors 30 and 32 are gone completely, but attacks were concentrated mostly on Sectors 22-33."</p>
<p>'…<em>an entity that was one of many… that would annihilate the empire and destroy everything his mentor had built. That would replace it with unrelenting chaos…'</em></p>
<p>"The only planets that seem to fare better are those with population centres at higher altitudes but you can forget about aquatic civilisations and those with high grade tech. We managed to throw together some kind of counterforces for other worlds but it didn't do any good. Planet Metal was a shit show… we lost everyone."</p>
<p>"We only integrated Metal a year ago." Chief muttered more to himself than to the giant General.</p>
<p>"So much for that." The General responded bitterly. "We initially suspected the Arcosians may have been responsible, they broke away from us during the vacuum conflicts and they were the only ones with the kind of AI technology that comes close to what we're seeing, but the scale and coordination of the attacks are far beyond their capabilities, at least if they were working alone. The enemy is hitting planets that are sectors… <em>light-years </em>apart at the same time… Plus the communication signals didn't match any of their known languages."</p>
<p>"Signals?"</p>
<p>"Coded communication signals… You saw them at the base control tower."</p>
<p>'<em>Chief attempted to access the lone computer but he was met with a static, flickering screen followed by an alien code…'</em></p>
<p>"It's an invasion signal?"</p>
<p>"We thought it we could use it to our advantage… We thought it would allow us to identify which worlds were in the firing line. We hoped it would allow them to take some pre-emptive action… but by the time they start broadcasting; it's already too late. The invasion force usually follows within <em>days</em>. And now they're attacking planets at random."</p>
<p>His giant pink fist clenched on the table.</p>
<p>"When they <em>do </em>come, it's in overwhelming numbers. They overpower and outnumber the planet's militaries and what little assistance we can put up is ineffectual more often than not. They transform whatever they kill into husks for their army, so it was obvious pretty early on that any soldiers we throw at them were just adding to their strength, especially our Elites."</p>
<p>'<em>Perfection?'</em></p>
<p>'<em>Every plant, every organism, every cell.'</em></p>
<p>"How are we fighting them?"</p>
<p>"We don't." He stated. "We're outnumbered everywhere, it's a waste of man power. Most of the husks are berserkers; far stronger and tougher than your average sapient but mindless and primal. One is easy enough for a troop of low level soldiers to handle with the right training and terrain. Problem is, they attack in swarms… thousands, sometimes millions at a time. No amount of training will save you from that massacre."</p>
<p>'<em>The creature was a twisted amalgamation of mangled flesh and shimmering metal…'</em></p>
<p>"A pack of berserkers is child's play for an Elite squadron but, again, numbers are key here." Bolo continued. "A swarm can take a squadron of Elites down given enough time and the right conditions, and that's before factoring in the Elites they've stolen from our armies or the fighter worlds. Soldier for soldier, ours aren't even close to matching theirs, and that's before we even think about the number disparity."</p>
<p>'<em>They were less hideous than the first wave, evolved almost… leaner, slightly smoother flesh, more athletic, a cleaner marriage between metal and soldier, and far more soldier than the beasts he'd slaughtered in the tower.'</em></p>
<p>Bolo sighed, rubbing his eyes in weariness. These were facts he'd told too often.</p>
<p>"That just leaves your Super Elites and higher; the Armoured Squadron, Units 54-62… Good news is, I've yet to hear reports of those things replicating those and we haven't lost anyone apart from Sauza. Bad news is, we only have fifty or so Super Elites or higher in total, including you." He locked eyes with Chief. "Do the math."</p>
<p>It was easy math. Chief scowled at his plate, wordless in contemplation.</p>
<p>"Where are they coming from?"</p>
<p>"That's a mystery we're still trying to solve. As I mentioned, the Arcosians may have-"</p>
<p>"It's not one of our rivals."</p>
<p>Bolo looked at the captain curiously.</p>
<p>"How can you be so sure?"</p>
<p>"My scouter… how much footage was on it?"</p>
<p>"I saw you annihilate a few husk elites before the footage cut out." He replied smirking. "The soldiers have missed a powerful presence."</p>
<p>He'd been so swept up in the fight and the rush of adrenaline, he hadn't even noticed his scouter being damaged, much less destroyed. So, Chief filled in the gaps; the basement, Sauza Omega, his words, the fight, the transformation… everything.</p>
<p>Bolo, professional as always, listened with rapt attention, and sat in thoughtful silence when he was finished.</p>
<p>"I was curious about how you got that burn scar." Bolo gestured towards the errant patch of warped flesh stretching from his temple to his ear. Scars were nothing new, he'd completely forgotten about it."Good thing Sauza was the only Super Elite we lost… given the condition that you returned in, we assumed whatever did that to you would have been responsible for Captain Souza's disappearance."</p>
<p>"Those husk elites killed him." Chief responded. "Their coordination was almost telepathic and they were strong as hell, there's no way he would have been able to handle them." He locked eyes with the General. "I don't know where these things came from or what sent them but this isn't an invasion from some wannabe empire; it's an extermination."</p>
<p>Bolo nodded in thought.</p>
<p>"So much for Earth." He chuckled bitterly. "By the end of this, we may not even have an empire to integrate that damned planet into. We barely have one now."</p>
<p>"What's our status? Ships? Soldiers? Units?"</p>
<p>"Including all specialist units and elites? Total Kold Force numbers were roughly five-million at the start, and that's excluding planetary armies. We'd be lucky if we have even a third of that now."</p>
<p>It was a sobering thought for Chief. It was not in his DNA to give up, surrender was unacceptable to the young captain, but what could they do?</p>
<p>He and Coola had the power to destroy worlds but they wanted to reclaim the empire, not cripple it. A scorched earth approach would set them back decades. They could liberate those captured worlds on their own but, given the speed of conquest, two more would have been invaded by the time they'd finished one. It was impossible to be everywhere at once.</p>
<p>He was immediately aware of the muted, subdued tones of the soldiers eating behind him. A 'rough few months' had been an understatement.</p>
<p>Their dreams and ambitions were flittering away and he found his fists clenched in futile anger. A sudden urgency crept up on him.</p>
<p>"Did Coola say where he was going?"</p>
<p>"No, he just said he had a plan before heading out towards the Dusk system."</p>
<p>"Dusk system?" His brows furrowed in alarm</p>
<p>He knew the galaxies pathways like the back of his hand, from Atlus-Proper to Arlia and the former Vegeta, but the Dusk corridor was a mystery to him and most of the galaxy. It was a communications black hole; a light-years long section of space dominated by nebula, dust and abnormally high levels of radiation.</p>
<p>Coola himself never ventured there and neither did his armies, so for him to do so now was a clear sign of his desperation. And Chief's mind raced with scenarios.</p>
<p>Maybe Coola was onto something. Maybe he'd made a discovery. Maybe he'd uncovered the source of the threat and had departed alone to confront it. He would be the only one powerful enough.</p>
<p>Maybe he was in trouble and couldn't signal for help…</p>
<p>Bolo seemed to sense a pending interrogation and pre-empted it.</p>
<p>"He didn't reveal anything to me, before you ask." He stated. "And it's not my place to question the Supreme Commander."</p>
<p>"So who's running the empire? Coola wouldn't leave it without some kind of chain of command."</p>
<p>"The Executive board." Bolo spat with disdain. "Not that it's done any good so far; we're still being annihilated."</p>
<p>Chief abruptly rose from his seat.</p>
<p>"Where are you going?"</p>
<p>"To take back control."</p>
<hr/>
<p>The arcs were frantic with noise and organisation as the Rylosi prepared for war, but they weren't the only civilised dwellings.</p>
<p>There was another mountain, far taller than Arc Triumph's own, but with a flattened peak that was massive in both scale and diameter.</p>
<p>Furthermore, it was sacred.</p>
<p>Coola strolled regally across the vast flattened mountaintop, bathed in moonlight, icy soil crunching underfoot, and lost between the neat rows of obscenely tall stalks that towered over him. Each glowed in rich, marble shades of blues, purples and reds… a stark contrast to the dead, icy snow from which they sprouted.</p>
<p>A fitting metaphor for the endurance of his people.</p>
<p>He was flanked by two followers, loyal acolytes and witnesses to the ceremony.</p>
<p>The Rylosi called this place the Garden and it covered the mountaintop.</p>
<p>Unlike the icy wasteland that dominated the wider Ryli landscape, this was slightly warmer. By no means lush like a Galas or even a Nebula; still cold enough for lesser species to die of exposure were they to remain for too long, but warm enough for a particularly robust plant to grow.</p>
<p>A single, bright red fruit hung from the top of each stalk, forming a canopy above him that stretched on for thousands of trees. Indeed, it was believed that the success of the fruit in such a harsh wasteland was owed to the spirit and strength of the ancestors who perished in the planet's cataclysms.</p>
<p>It was customary for all young rylo, the rylina, to journey to this spot with a single seed, imbue it with a tiny fraction of power, and plant it in their family plot so their strength can live on for the next generation. After doing so, the rylina would eat the fruit their parents had planted, allowing their spirit to live on within them and strengthen them. And so on for generations to come.</p>
<p>Completing this ritual was said to bring luck to the rylina and, by extension, the Rylosi as a whole.</p>
<p>They found the Kold family plot; lost among the crops near the back of the plantation. It consisted of two stalks; his fathers' and his own, and a large red fruit hung from each.</p>
<p>Or half participate, as it were… the fruit had yet to be eaten.</p>
<p>"This is it, Elder Kold." One follower declared. "We've maintained it as ordered."</p>
<p>"Excellent."</p>
<p>Heretics they may have been but they still held their traditions in high enough regard to participate. At least he and his father had… Frieza's was missing; the indulged little prick hadn't seen fit to plant his own seed and his father hadn't forced him to either. The mindless adoration of his brother's power really had made him soft.</p>
<p>His mother's was missing too, as was his brother's, but he'd never cared enough to ask why.</p>
<p>Coola's eyes narrowed in scrutiny as he pulled his father's fruit from the vine. Of course, the assertion of generational strength and luck was ridiculous superstition. Destiny, after all, was forged by the individual and their path was determined with every action they took. His ancestors' decision to take to the stars had forged a galactic legacy that had lasted for seven centuries. And his father had taken the Planet Trade Organisation, transformed it into an empire, and expanded its sphere of influence.</p>
<p>Greatness.</p>
<p>Conversely, his brother was dead because he was a reckless fool and his father's rage-filled impulsiveness had sealed his fate as well. Coola, detached and calculated, was still here. The family legacy now lay in his hands and he'd do anything to elevate it.</p>
<p>Even if some had to die.</p>
<p>After a moment of intense scrutiny, he turned to his acolytes and held the fruit before them, clear for them to see.</p>
<p>Both were fully grown, albeit young adults; were fully minted rylo; and had partaken in the ceremony themselves when they were younger. The minimum requirement for the consumption to be valid.</p>
<p>With a loud crunch, he bit into the hard fruit shell, grimacing at the ropey texture and the bittersweet juice within.</p>
<p>It had always been his ambition to dominate the Galaxy and for Ryli to share the fruits of his triumphs. The Rylosi were destined for greatness after all, however, their stubborn isolationism was a near insurmountable obstacle.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, simply invading his home planet and imposing his rule would have been both problematic and counterproductive. The overwhelming majority of his imperial troops could not survive the Ryli climate long enough to even hold it, much less fight effectively, and that was before considering how formidable his people were.</p>
<p>Conquering his planet on his own would have been no problem, powerful as he was, but the spirit of his people would demand they fight to the last, particularly if their oppressor was a heretic. He could not rule over a dead race.</p>
<p>Besides, heretic or not, he could not bring himself to subjugate his own people. They needed to <em>want</em> the change.</p>
<p>It seemed impossible but then Coola was a creature of unwavering faith; faith that anything could be achieved if the timing and conditions were right. Ten years away from any planet would make assessing societal conditions an impossible task. Fortunately for him, he had a talent for building networks of power.</p>
<p>Another bite and he hit the heart of the seed and the juice became bitterer. All the while, the young soldiers watched him in awe.</p>
<p>It was quite pathetic really, they were competent enough but their deification of him rendered them unable to look him in the eye. He'd forgotten their names as soon as they'd told him but it didn't matter. They were useful.</p>
<p>It hadn't been impossible for Kuri to set up lines of communication, the Executive's friendship with Elder Bevonen had been valuable in this regard. It'd also had also alerted him to presence of the supremely talented Lodo.</p>
<p>As the lone survivor of the Kold Dynasty, one could never have too many loyalists.</p>
<p>It hadn't been a complicated plan, observe and report, and he'd learned much over the years. The most valuable of those lessons were that fanatical isolationism was mostly a philosophy of the old and prestigious and his family was a curiosity among the younger. An opportunity for change would present itself eventually; all they'd had to do was wait. After all, Ryli was no stranger to conflict. He'd learned that as a space-faring child.</p>
<p>The children on Ryli were taught about the virtues of the Rylosi unity and collective spirit but lessons on the civil wars were rarer.</p>
<p>Attitudes changed with each passing generation. Philosophies waned, hard stances softened, and the old guard weakened and were replaced by the new. It was the cycle of things for nearly all species and it would happen either peacefully or by force. Coola had used his supply lines to ensure some of the most powerful or influential young members of the Rylosi knew of the rewards of galactic conquest.</p>
<p>He'd had no desire to start a war, of course, at least not directly, but if a conflict were to rise or a schism were to develop… he'd known which side he would back and he had considerable resources to do so.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, no plan was ever smooth. The husk invasion posed an existential threat not only to his empire but also galactic life. It was one that demanded a full commitment of his resources to combat. It was a crisis if ever there was one, but crises usually create opportunity.</p>
<p>The husks were blazing a trail of destruction across the cosmos with invasion forces scattered across the Galaxy. There could be no doubt that Ryli was in the firing line. The elders had painted his family as greedy, selfish heretics but the defence of his planet would gain him tremendous favour with his people. Favour that could create an immediate change and place him and his acolytes at the pinnacle of the Rylosi civilisation.</p>
<p>Change that would allow him to drag his people kicking and screaming into a new era of galactic dominance.</p>
<p>He'd covered all his bases; studied the speed and patterns of his enemy, their strengths and weaknesses… Even in numbers, they would not be a match for the combined might of the Rylosi and even less so on a hostile environment such as Ryli. What's more, they were even less of a match for him.</p>
<p>And in the unlikely event that the husk army failed to show on their own…</p>
<p>Well, the resource commitment had born fruit.</p>
<p>His scientists had still held the Afterlife seed and the mutated junker corpse. The first had been impossible to study and had killed a number of the Kold Force's finest before he had shut it down personally, but the junker corpse was less troublesome. They had failed to shut down its invasion signal, the husk technology was too masterful, but they'd been successful in isolating the source.</p>
<p>It had been nothing to integrate it to his vessel, and it had broadcast like a beacon throughout his month-long journey to his home world.</p>
<p>They would come one way or another, his people would be ready, and their victory would be glorious.</p>
<p>With one last bite, Coola swallowed what remained of the ancestral fruit and tossed the seed to the far end of the mountain. Both young rylo rose to their feet, bowed their heads and raised a clenched fist to their chests.</p>
<p>"Unity." They declared in earnest.</p>
<p>Coola, casual as always, did the same, and the chest pearls glowed dimply in the garden.</p>
<p>"Prosperity." He declared.</p>
<p>He was often fearless but, as he stood, stomach full at the top of the mountain, he felt a strange sensation at the pit of his stomach… a warmth that flooded his being with a conflicting chill. It didn't feel like his father's strength but then that strength had abandoned King Kold long before he'd died.</p>
<p>Nerves? Perhaps anticipation? He couldn't decide.</p>
<p>On a whim, he grabbed his own fruit from the vine, watching as it resisted weakly before the vine snapped free with a whip.</p>
<p>"Where is Lodo?" He asked, eyes locked on the fruit in his grasp.</p>
<p>"With the war party, Elder Kold." One replied eagerly.</p>
<p>"Should we summon him?"</p>
<p>He paused for a moment, crimson eyes scanning the smooth surface, mind flooded with legacy and empire reclamation, before glancing at the two young soldiers before him.</p>
<p>"No, I don't intend to wait here all night." He finally replied, eyes shifting to the young rylo and face now unwelcoming. "You have a battle to prepare for. Go."</p>
<p>A moment later, he was alone with a fruit and two empty stalks.</p>
<p>Thousands of kilometres above, a barely perceptible groups of stars joined the night sky and desecrated the cosmos.</p>
<p>Wordlessly, Coola bit into the second fruit and it was gone a few minutes later. He was never one for superstition but he'd need strength to contend with what was coming.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The New Machine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>The New Machine</strong>
</p><hr/><p>The husk horde emerged from the darkness and bared down on Ryli like a ravenous swarm.</p><p>They were a hodgepodge of pregnant seeds and bastardised ships seized from conquered races across the galaxy, bonded to the husk fleet, and shimmered on their approach.</p><p>And their numbers were in the thousands.</p><p>It was a sight that had promised annihilation for every species unfortunate enough to bathe in their shadow. However, as another wave exploded in a hail of fire and shrapnel, they'd proven to be nothing but target practice for the foragers.</p><p>"Fifteen-hundred!"</p><p>Frost's voice blared boastfully through the minds of his ten-thousand other comrades.</p><p>He shot through the darkness, heralded by a rain of energy blasts from the other foragers at his tail. He twirled elegantly to evade the horde's retaliatory fire, steeling his ki for another round of enemy blasts to bounce harmlessly from his powder blue frame, before a hail of purple bombs exploded from his palm and obliterated another group of enemy ships.</p><p>They hadn't advanced further than Ryli's moons.</p><p>"Five-thousand!" He proclaimed as blue fire illuminated the darkness.</p><p>"Focus!" Came the searing projection to his right.</p><p>Captain Chilli, pale yellow, sped past him and tore through the horde in a blazing aura. The others followed his lead, thousands of roars echoed through his minds and more ships were reduced to shrapnel in the black void of space.</p><p>"I'm just having fun!"</p><p>The Captain didn't hear him. A familiar grip of competitive jealousy tugged firmly at his ego as the army tore another wave to pieces, the same competitiveness that made him the best. The challenge was enough for him to spring into action.</p><p>Frost would not be out-shone… dodging a hail of cannon fire before retaliating with neat purple bullets of his own. They sailed through the void, mingling with thousands of others; reds, oranges, whites, yellows, purples and blues, before striking their targets and engulfing the entire hoard in a rainbow-like sphere of light.</p><p>Metal parts were scattered to cosmos.</p><p>It was a spectacular display as twisted metal scattered across the cosmos, and it only served to amplify the young forager's enjoyment.</p><p>'Existential threat' my ass, Frost thought with a grin, as he assumed leadership of another charge and ploughed double-fisted through the stragglers of bastardised ships and seeds.</p><p><em>These</em> were supposed to be the end of the Rylosi?</p><p><em>These</em> things?</p><p>Their fire power was as pathetic as their manoeuvrability.</p><p>They may have cut through half the galaxy but against a species as strong as they were, ones who could confront them before they entered the planet's atmosphere, and cut off their options by spreading themselves nimbly across the planet's face, they were nothing but cannon fodder.</p><p>The losses were becoming greater and greater by the minute.</p><p>"Seven-thousand!" He proclaimed, as another group fell under fire.</p><p>A number of seeds sprouted shimmering roots and attempted to birth mutant warriors to combat the forager advance, but they were either vaporised or eviscerated where they floated.</p><p>Useless in the depths of space.</p><p>The onslaught continued until the husks numbers thinned and the next wave slowed their advance to a stop.</p><p>"They're retreating!" Came a cry.</p><p>"Kill them all!" Frost echoed.</p><p>Seconds later, his hands erupted with a wave of energy and yet more husks were blown apart where they rested.</p><p>But they didn't retaliate.</p><p>Instead they remained motionless as they lined up in neat rows of ships.</p><p>"No!" Chilli dominated the forager feed. "Hold back!"</p><p>Frost fixed his captain with a quizzical expression, though Chilli's eyes remained fixed on the suddenly immobile hoard. Something was wrong.</p><p>The silence of space seemed deafening as the forager mental feed faded to murmurs and anticipation.</p><p>Then a vast shadow engulfed the hoard, blocked the glimmering star light, and blanketed the gathered Rylosi Foragers in endless darkness.</p><p>"What the hell is that…?"</p><hr/><p>The Rylosi on the ground numbered a million, two-thirds of the planet's population, and they were poised, ready, and spread out over the western landmass.</p><p>It was a perfect location; baron with endless space and close to the burning coast, where the hot waves lapped hungrily at the shore. Ryli's predators never ventured here for fear of the water and its spontaneous waves. What's more, it was far away from the arcs, where the vulnerable… the non-combatants, rylina, eggs, and Elders… were all hidden away.</p><p>And with the husk horde specifically targeting population centres, the army was a rainbow of colour standing invitingly over the wispy white sheet.</p><p>Yet none were troubled as the planet effectively defended itself.</p><p>The steady drizzle of husk ships that had broken through Ryli's atmosphere accelerated immediately under the gravitational assault and plummeted in hopelessly wild death spirals. And the skies were clear, despite the frigid cold, providing a clear view of the entertainment.</p><p>In the distance, smaller vessels were crushed under the sheer weight of the planet's atmosphere before crashing into the ocean. Barely a second passed before they were flash frozen, then another before they boiled and sank beneath the wafting depths.</p><p>Saol hovered at the head of the army, stripped of his elder robes and embracing the knife-like cold.</p><p>He lived for this.</p><p>"So this is the <em>mighty</em> mutant army that brought your empire to ruin."</p><p>Sarcasm dripped freely from the Elder's iron-like voice.</p><p>Coola hovered beside him, arms crossed and far more subdued. He had no <em>open</em> authority, of course, but who could deny him? Besides, he would not have Saol abuse his decorum and accuse the most powerful being in the universe of sloth or cowardice.</p><p>No, Coola would be conspicuous in Ryli's defence.</p><p>"Indeed it is, Elder." He responded coolly. "Are you not impressed?"</p><p>"By your mongrel allies' capitulation to such worthless vermin? Incredibly so. Tell me again of the glory of your empire?"</p><p>"I'd invite you to see it for yourself after I reclaim it."</p><p>"Humph."</p><p>The Elder's tail swayed distastefully as they watched as three more vessels spiralled hopelessly before cratering the ground. Two husk elites staggered from the wreckage and launched themselves clumsily towards the army but their advance was halted as Saol extended two fingers and blew them apart where they stood. The Rylosi were unmoved throughout.</p><p>"We were prepared to fight for our very survival today." He began as more ships plummeted into the ocean. "Now I'm wondering if we should have brought refreshments and adequate reading material."</p><p>Laughs drifted across the front line, though they weren't mocking him.</p><p>They wouldn't dare.</p><p>Instead they were watching, humoured, as a small group of berserkers landed before them and were immediately crushed by the gravity.</p><p>"I'm sure if you tell the Foragers to stand down, they'd provide your army with a workout."</p><p>He'd expected the foragers to be formidable but not resilient enough to resist a husk horde. Soldiers or not, they were a team of glorified system scavengers. Even if they numbered ten-thousand… even with the formidable rylo strength… he'd expected more than a handful to make landfall.</p><p>It was a pleasant surprise; a source of muted pride. Still, given when the husks had done to his empire, such a pathetic display from the invasion force was more than a little irritating.</p><p>"Wishful thinking," Saol responded, "when these things could hardly survive our gravity."</p><p>He was right; the invasion defence was going well.</p><p>Too well. If there was such a thing.</p><p>The discontent he'd felt at the garden crept up on him once again.</p><p>"Beautiful, isn't it?" The Elder commented, oblivious, as another vessel crashed through a thin sheet of ice. "Ryli protects the strong as well as culling the weak. Is more evidence needed that we are the most powerful race in the galaxy?"</p><p>As if on cue, the light drizzle of enemies intensified to a gentle shower as more and more husk ships broke into the planet's atmosphere and plummeted towards their position.</p><p>"Looks like you'll have your fight after all, Elder." Coola remarked, smirking, eyes to the skies.</p><p>The Rylosi prepared themselves, though maintained their discipline.</p><p>He watched as a group of husk elites escaped their pods and descended towards them at uncontrolled speed. He held his finger steady, prepared to blow them to pieces, until a bright pink beam from below beat him to it.</p><p>He looked down to his right and found Lodo looking back at him, palm smoking. Even as the rain intensified, the husk ships were little more than target practice.</p><p>"No." Saol responded, brows narrowing as if to pierce a hole in the sky. "Their orders are to retreat if numbers become overwhelming."</p><p>A look of indiscernible intensity spread across the Elder's face… the first sign that something was wrong. The second was a sudden dimming of natural light as the planet's wispy blues faded to a dull grey. He looked upwards and saw…</p><p>A planet? A moon?</p><p>It was large enough to cut through the sun but they were decades away from an eclipse. And it grew larger still, which meant it was approaching fast.</p><p>A deep sense of foreboding crept through his core.</p><p>"What is that?"</p><p>A murmur of discontent crept through the gathered forces and they readied themselves… growing cries of unity crept through the ranks, though uncertain in their delivery. But Coola was near-oblivious to it as he stared into the sky.</p><p>This was not something he had accounted for.</p><p>"Chilli…" Saol muttered, voice like gravel. "What's happening up there?"</p><p>The Elder glared searchingly at the heretic rylo at his side, but Coola could only offer silence as the rain of enemies slowly grew into a monsoon.</p><p>Frost awakened to darkness and pain.</p><p>His eyes struggled to adjust to the blackness… or his <em>eye</em>. Searing pain in a socket told him one was missing. Sure enough, his vision transitioned from bleak to bleary and confirmed it was true,</p><p>Dust clogged his throat and he coughed harshly… jettisoning thick, weightless blobs of purple blood from his lungs, rich enough in their hue to suggest internal injury.</p><p>Alarm.</p><p>The silence in his ear told him his ear piece was missing.</p><p>Soft, dusty moon rock prodded his back and he remembered the blow that had sent him here. The landing had been hard, despite the feather-like gravity. Two… three… four blinks later, his vision cleared further still, enough to make out the charred and severed dots strewn about Ryli's orbit.</p><p>His forager brothers.</p><p>Thousands of them.</p><p>The alarm bells blared louder.</p><p>The massacre.</p><p>The monster had emerged from the darkness and cut through them like paper. All of them. Ten-thousand eliminated.</p><p>He saw the husk ships sailing over overhead in an unending stream, now unopposed… far more menacing now that they were accompanied by that… moving <em>planet</em>. Frost alone had had inflected more losses than he remembered, yet it looked like it hadn't impacted their numbers in the slightest.</p><p>He gathered strength enough to shift his head and saw the approaching moon… the metal <em>planet</em>… undulating and stretching in its advance and bearing down on Ryli. So huge it defied comprehension, blocking out the sun on its approach and casting a vast shadow on the moon's ethereal powder. He found himself filled with a wonder and fear only a god could induce.</p><p>But it was nothing compared to the fear of their assailant.</p><p>Panic gripped him.</p><p>He had to move.</p><p>He had to find his ear piece.</p><p>He had to warn them on the planet or all of them would die.</p><p>His first attempt at shifting his weight drew a pained groan from deep within fractured bones and ruptured organs, one that was lost to the unmovable cosmic silence.</p><p>Still he persisted. Shifting his weight… one arm under the torso… a shoulder roll… a leg thrown over the other… a tail pushing against the floor… his body protesting… til he was on his stomach and groaning and cursing in pain. The lack of gravity helped.</p><p>Blood dripped feely from his face, to his lips, then in blobs… descending slowly to settle on the moon's dusty surface. Despite the pain, he remained dutifully attentive and caught sight of the ear piece just a few meters away. It may as well have been a mile given his condition… beaten and energy depleted.</p><p>Still, he crawled. He had to warn them. He <em>had </em>to…</p><p>Ambition and glory be damned. If it was the last thing he did, he'd warn them. For the Rylosi. He'd been humbled today, his ego had been struck down and now he was filled with self-admonishment. He'd cast his ruined pride aside for their survival.</p><p>What greater glory was there than that?</p><p>He reached searchingly for the ear piece, fingers scant inches away… until a shimmering foot came down hard and ruined the hand.</p><p>He screamed silently to the moon and stars.</p><p>Agonised breaths left his mouth as he cradled the appendage tightly, and his breaths were so frantic he coughed yet more blood onto the feint grey powder. Then the metal foot struck his ribs, sending him rolling and skidding buoyantly onto his back.</p><p>His eye squinted, such was the pain, and when they opened, the view was as magnificent as it was horrifying.</p><p>The metal moon opened like hand, as if to claim his home for itself, and the fingers flared and flamed as it entered the atmosphere. Wonder, fear, foreboding… they all flowed through him quickly. Viscous, sharp, and potent. Then his view was obscured by a bald silhouette, bearing searchingly into his soul with dead black eyes that seemed to shimmer in spite of the darkness.</p><p>They captured his gaze, trapping him and feeding him a potent cocktail of fear and confusion.</p><p>They were unmoved despite inflicting so much death.</p><p>Evil.</p><p>As the monster raised its foot, Frost's final thoughts were of his Forager brothers. Then the foot came down and those thoughts were silent.</p><hr/><p>Coola was becoming acquainted with uncertainty and he despised it.</p><p>As a creature of calculated risk, he rarely acted without considering all potential outcomes.</p><p>The excursion to his home planet had not been on a whim. He'd studied his enemy's invasion path and knew they would find their way here; the beacon had merely been a means of accelerating the process. He'd also studied their strategy, response times, attack patterns, and the strength of their forces, and all of them were mitigated by the might of his species and his home world's atmosphere.</p><p>This would be a stand from which his empire could be reclaimed and strengthened. So when the downpour of enemies intensified, and the western continent became awash with foreign vessels, it had been no surprise when the Rylosi had repelled them all.</p><p>The planet had literally crushed the first two waves, turning their sacred ground into a graveyard, but the third consisted of more durable mutants. Larger, stronger, and multi-limbed.</p><p>The Vana races, he'd thought as he'd blown a swathe from the sky… a collection of species renowned for their durability.</p><p>Still, it didn't matter.</p><p>The gathered army sprang into action, meeting the enemy head on… Saol decreeing that the planet had shouldered its fair share of the burden and the Rylosi now had to "repay its loyalty in blood".</p><p>Or some nonsense to that effect… Coola paid it no mind, instead focusing on exercising his sheer strength on the unfortunate invaders for the benefit of the rylo. Most of the new husks failed to make landfall in one piece, and those that did found oblivion within seconds.</p><p>Overwhelming numbers may have been sufficient to sweep some races aside, but when confronted with the full might of the Rylosi, most of whom could challenge his own Super Elites, the husk numbers were like waves breaking against the rocky shore. Of course there were some casualties, a few hundred inattentive or ill-prepared, but what good was war if not to strip a chain of its weak links?</p><p>Saol had been right in that regard.</p><p>Lodo was not among those weak links. From a distance, he'd spotted the rylina storm head-first into the swarm and cut his way through with a smoothness and fluidity that contrasted sharply with his unit captain's saiyan ferocity.</p><p>He'd make a strong apprentice.</p><p>Saol wasn't either. Backward, regressive, and a bastard he may be, but he was a strong and experienced leader in equal measure. He'd cut through them powerfully on his ascent with rage on his face, fire in his hands, and a curse on his lips.</p><p>Some for the enemy, others for the heretic soaring beside him, as his fists had ploughed through torsos and his head had broken skulls.</p><p>But now, as Coola's face remained locked to the darkening sky, uncertainty had strengthened its grip on him.</p><p>They fought under the growing shadow of an eclipse.</p><p>He had correctly foreseen the Rylosi sweeping the husk army aside in a storm of righteous vengeance.</p><p>He <em>hadn't</em> foreseen a <em>planet</em> being part of the invasion force.</p><p>One which he realised, as its enormous mass <em>twisted</em> and <em>stretched</em> impossibly and <em>opened</em> like a hand, wasn't a planet at all.</p><p>It was a machine.</p><p>An impossibly large machine.</p><p>It was large enough to consume the entirety of the sky on its approach, with its sheer mass blanketing the horizon. Large enough to blanket the entire battlefield in darkness as it dispersed the clouds. Large enough, it seemed, to consume Ryli itself.</p><p>In all Coola's years of leadership, he had never seen anything like it, and he remained mesmerised by its sheer scale as it bared down on the battlefield at alarming speed.</p><p>Saol yelled something at him but it was lost in the noise. The world faded away as he glared at the new belligerent.</p><p>The new obstacle to his plan.</p><p>It wasn't until the mountains on the horizon <em>crumbled</em> beneath the weight of this thing's power and the very <em>ocean </em>swept up in spirals towards the sky that realty struck.</p><p>And it was loud.</p><p>The wind clattered his ears in an orchestra of noise as the world rushed back into being, as did a crescendo of yells from their army.</p><p>"We need to move!" He heard.</p><p>Fearful yells.</p><p>Hundreds of thousands of rylo fled the machine's path. Some, in their rush, had lost their senses and been seized by groups of Husk Elites in their urgency to escape. Others, weaker, had been swept up in the machine's unnatural current. Some remained resolute, charging coordinated energy blasts at the approaching object, none of which were effective.</p><p>Then came the reprisal.</p><p>"Move!" He found himself yelling at a slow-footed yellow rylo.</p><p>Far too late.</p><p>Hot yellow beams of light descended from above and consumed the sluggish soldier. Hundreds more followed, dispersed from cannons spanning the full length of the machine's claws… all the way down to the horizon.</p><p>They vaporised Rylo and husks alike, thousands of them, before drilling deep into the ice and rock.</p><p>By the time the earthquakes came, Coola had turned and was already moving. Ryli had been overcome with darkness but there were distant pockets of daylights peaking in the distance.</p><p>He weaved nimbly between the hot beams as he fled towards clear skies. No counter-attack could come if they were all dead. All the while, rylo fled en masse, hot light burned its way through the planet's surface, and the ground crumbled and gave way under the assault, desecrating the landmass with charred canyons and molten rock for miles.</p><p>He escaped into daylight, just in time to see Armageddon make landfall with a rumble so loud it rattled his bones. Just over half of the army had survived the landing too, including Elder Saol and Lodo.</p><p>The rest… crushed in the machine's grasp.</p><p>With the snap of cosmic fingers, the planet's population had been reduced by nearly a third; a cataclysmic loss of life for their species. One that Coola had not anticipated.</p><p>"Stay strong!" He heard Saol cry, rallying his troops, and he wondered how many of them had actually seen anything like this before.</p><p>The shocked faces suggested otherwise. Strength was the currency of the universe but the mind was the most important tool in a soldiers arsenal.</p><p>It was one more cataclysm to add to the planet's legacy, he thought darkly. One more story for these un-blooded soldiers to pass down and no doubt bastardise as the generations persisted.</p><p>At least it would be if Ryli survived this new threat.</p><p>"If…" He muttered. Uncertainty had embraced him like a lover.</p><p>The sudden turn of events had been so rapid, his usual iron fortitude had deserted him for the moment. Not even the near decade of vacuum conflicts had been enough to shake his nerves; he'd known that victory was a certainty. But this was different somehow.</p><p>Then, the very environment began to change around them.</p><p>The world seemed to shake as the machine's claws sank into the flesh, drawing dust and noxious smoke that fogged the air and blinded the Rylosi force.</p><p>The knife-like cold had been rapidly irradiated with a growing heat that melted ice from every rock and made what remained of the oceans boil in earnest.</p><p>Much of it had been sucked away during the machine's descent.</p><p>Vapour hissed into the air, bursting like hot springs from beneath the ground and further-thickening the oven-like atmosphere. Hundreds were caught in the maiming blasts and thousands more took to the air to escape.</p><p>Lava burst from the ground and bled boiling from the cavernous gashes in the planet's surface, and ash spewed black and hot into the air.</p><p>The planet seemed to roar in pain as it haemorrhaged and writhed in the grip of yet another cataclysm, and seven-hundred-thousand rylo could do little more than wait anxiously as they bore witness to it.</p><p>Most were horrified, much to Coola's irritation.</p><p>Cowardice was unacceptable; he needed them to survive this test of character.</p><p>Saol, by contrast, watched with an endurance to match his own. Coola imagined that, in his mind, such a catastrophe would almost be like a rite of passage to him. A challenge equal to what the ancestors faced. But, despite the hubris, he was thankful for his example.</p><p>The elder descended towards him, taking his place at his side.</p><p>"I stand corrected." He began, voice gravelly, eyes fixed to the ashy fog. "Perhaps your soldiers weren't so pathetic after all."</p><p>They were, Coola thought, though none of his worlds had faced anything like this so far.</p><p>What did it mean? He had no clue.</p><p>A new wave he'd failed to account for?</p><p>He'd given little thought to the origin of the husks. Perhaps this was it?</p><p>What he did know was that, now, such a threat could not be defeated without his strength. While he had every confidence in the Rylosi's capacity to repel an invading horde, he alone had the strength to destroy worlds. Or, in this case, world-eating machines.</p><p>He alone had the strength to defend his planet.</p><p>He alone had the strength to restore order to his empire.</p><p>A dark thought crossed his mind.</p><p>His defence would be conspicuous after all, and he smiled as his nerves tingled in anticipation at what was to come.</p><p>The wait would not be long.</p><p>When the fog began to dissipate, the scale of the new target became apparent.</p><p>The machine dominated the horizon, stretching unendingly from east to west and reaching beyond the clouds with endless ambition. A wall of cybernetics so high the peak eluded his sight.</p><p>What remained of the sky had been stripped of its frigid white, now painted with fervent strokes of orange, dusky browns, and ashen greys and blacks. A permanent, noxious sunset that complimented the baked climate poetically.</p><p>Murmurs passed through the Rylosi ranks as they observed their new surroundings, as if strangers to their own world… their colours glowing queerly beneath the new light.</p><p>Then… the emergence.</p><p>New husks came into being in the distance, crawling endlessly from beneath Armageddon's claws, and marching towards them until their numbers were incalculable.</p><p>"Unity!" Came Saol's gravelled cry.</p><p>The remaining Rylosi responded listlessly.</p><p>"Unity!" Coola echoed, his mad red gaze turning fiercely towards the soldiers.</p><p>It had the desired effect.</p><p>"Unity!" Came the zealous reply, seven-hundred-thousand voices strong.</p><p>Saol turned to him, his face betraying shock and surprise, before all attention returned to the new approaching swarm.</p><p>Only this time, the swarm was different.</p><p>This time there was no urgency in their steps, only a focused advance towards inevitability.</p><p>His eyes narrowed at their confidence.</p><p>This time the soldiers were calm and unaffected by the gravity.</p><p>They were still no match for Coola, and he retained his faith in the Rylosi, though he resisted the urge to storm through them and instead opted to observe.</p><p>As, this time, they were led by a general.</p><p>One who, even from a distance, looked a far cry from the monsters that comprised its subordinates.</p><p>Both Coola and Saol scrutinised this new challenger, catching glimpses from between the wafts of thin black fog…</p><p>It floated high above its army, as if a god amongst mortals, with an unnervingly relaxed gate and a patience that suggested even the stars and planets of the cosmos would function on its own time.</p><p>And indeed they did, as it had brought one to Ryli.</p><p>Then as it approached, the silhouette became clearer… the body shape… the tail…</p><p>His eyes narrowed.</p><p>"Rylosi?!" Saol hissed. "These godless monsters turned our own against us!"</p><p>"No." Came Coola's curt response, and the Elder regarded him curiously. "Not this quickly, and not alone."</p><p>It took time to mutate a downed soldier, especially a powerful one, and when they did unleash them, they did so in waves.</p><p>Then he saw the short stature… and shock struck him.</p><p>"No…"</p><p>The facial structure, framed in dim shadow but unmistakable… the stocky build… the white skin… the proud posture… like a ghost.</p><p>"It can't be…"</p><p>The words left his lips like a breeze, incredulous, and they were lost in the thick atmosphere.</p><p>Saol, on the other hand… his face was struck with surprise before it twisted into a mask of rage.</p><p>"Impossible!" He spat, voice hot with betrayal. "Frieza!"</p><p>The mere utterance of his name was enough for chaos to erupt.</p><p>In the distance, lava burst from the ground in thick ropes of molten heat, but splashed harmlessly against the world-eater.</p><p>With the point of the new general's finger, the new swarm found their ferocity and launched themselves at the Rylosi below with bloodthirsty vigour.</p><p>The Rylosi, having rediscovered their confidence, matched it with fanatical devotion and sped fearlessly towards the new enemy in a crescendo of war cries. Then they clashed in a luminous display of light and violence.</p><p>The chaos was the furthest thing from Coola's senses, as was Saol's accusatory stare. He was still in shock as his dead brother approached them both.</p><p>Only, as he closed the gap and emerged from the last of the fog, he saw… it wasn't quite him.</p><p>The muscular build, short stature and face were the same… but his skin was a weathered white tinged with grey, a tone darker than usual paper-like shade of his true form. The skin also seemed to be dressed with a synthetic hardness and lacquered sheen that reflected every ray of the skies' dying light in a hot, chaotic maelstrom of colour.</p><p>What's more, he was <em>all</em> white; the blue ornaments that had once crowned his head and dressed his white skin in finery were gone, bleached as white as his skin.</p><p>A new transformation perhaps?</p><p>Then he saw the wraith's eyes… pure black like glimmering pearls and devoid of expression; neither arrogance nor self-aggrandizement, the very essence of his foolish brother.</p><p>Corpses don't transform.</p><p>Its face was devoid of Frieza's wicked smile, instead sporting a frown that drew neither pleasure nor wrath from the chaos he'd wrought. In fact, it didn't appear to display much of anything at all.</p><p>His gate was contrastingly conservative; shoulders broad and muscular, and arms by his side and ready. Powerful. Devoid of the usual theatrical arrogance and conspicuous superiority that comprised his brother's very soul.</p><p>This wasn't some new transformation. The body was there but the spirit was gone.</p><p>This wasn't his brother at all.</p><p>A husk, just like the rest.</p><p>A revenant.</p><p>The wraith's eyes were trained on him, face a sneering grimace, and Coola met it with an expression of sheer incomprehension. So lost in his astonishment that he'd been completely oblivious to Saol.</p><p>The Elder was spitting with accusatory rage, face reddened by the fires, veins protruding as he yelled soundlessly as he backed away from Coola, and bright purple ball of pointless light burst to life in his palm.</p><p>His anger was drowned out by the war beneath them.</p><p>It was only when Coola spared him a brief, perplexed glance that the Elder realised that Coola had not betrayed his people. That Frieza and his brother were not aligned, that Coola was completely unaware of how or why Frieza had brought Armageddon to the Rylosi.</p><p>But how or why didn't seem to matter.</p><p>The wraith almost seemed to sense the elders rage and a small army of husks ascended from the battlefield and filled the space between the floating belligerents.</p><p>Saol needed no further provocation.</p><p>"Treacherous heretic scum! All of you!"</p><p>With a roar on his lips, he charged at the new enemy.</p><p>"No, you fool!" Coola cried, but he could do little.</p><p>The skies seemed to flare a bright purple-red as Saol ploughed through the wall of husks that converged between them.</p><p>The Elder wasn't fast by any stretch of the imagination, but his coordination, timing and power were second to none. His fists decapitated berserkers and impaled torsos; his feet shattered limbs; his mouth spewed curses and energy beams; seasoned eyes saw moves before they'd even been made, and his mind reacted and pre-empted them.</p><p>Ten… twelve… eighteen… twenty-five husks died in mere seconds, offering little resistance as Saol inched closer and closer to the static and mute spectre opposite them. Then the last obstacle died, blown apart from within, and nothing but oxygen and heat lay between him and his target.</p><p>He was one of the most powerful in the Rylosi ranks, even then, far more intelligent and battle hardened. He had strength enough to challenge some of the most powerful members of his Kold Force; to best the likes of Bolo and Vash and the late Sauza, even challenge even the Chief in his base form.</p><p>He'd slaughtered more than his fair share of husks today.</p><p>Time seemed to freeze and the war around them melted away as Coola watched the Elder soar towards the wraith; a roar on his lips, madness in his eyes, and fire in his heart.</p><p>Perhaps it was bravery, stupidity, or valour that drove Saol's actions, or some combination of the three. After all, the Kold family had been the most powerful beings in this universe, so his blind charge at the invader was admirable if foolhardy.</p><p>Yet all the valour in the universe couldn't save him from the inevitable.</p><p>The first punch was so fast he'd barely seen his brother telegraph it. It impacted the Elder's stomach with a sharp bang that echoed across the continent, catching all ears and sweeping a stiff breeze through the plane.</p><p>The second blow was even faster, striking Saol's jaw with a crack that sang a song of shattered jaws and a crushed vertebrae.</p><p>It took less than a second. A snap of fingers. And, just like that, he was dead.</p><p>"Deluded fool…"</p><p>As fast as he had been eliminated, it took what seemed like an eternity for the body to descend, with eyes vacant and mouth streaming with purple blood. For several long moments, the chaos seemed to cease and all attention was drawn towards the Elder as he settled on the warm floor below.</p><p>Once a warrior, now a ragdoll.</p><p>All eyes but the wraith's.</p><p>His were locked onto Coola's, patient and challenging.</p><p>In that moment, as a crescendo of explosions rocked the horizon, and larva and ash smoked the mountains, bubbles burst from the sea, and all thoughts of how or why fled from Coola's mind. All that remained were the facts.</p><p>Much of his empire, his birth right, had been taken from him by these bastardised alien entities.</p><p>His most valuable forces had been annihilated and were now among their ranks.</p><p>The defence of his home world was on the brink of unmitigated tragedy and his race was now truly in danger of extinction.</p><p>And his supposedly deceased brother had wrought all this chaos upon him.</p><p>Fury couldn't begin to describe the feeling.</p><p>But he was the solution to these problems.</p><p>As he looked at the revenant before him, he now had an outlet for his aggression.</p><p>"Well, Brother." He began, fingers flexing, shoulders braced and joints popping. "If you are indeed in there… I'd promised myself years ago that I would kill you when the time was right."</p><p>The wraith was unmoving and taciturn, though a blackened cloud cast a shadow over its face and the fading glimmer of sunlight made its eye sparkle.</p><p>Coola took it for acknowledgement.</p><p>"I'd thought the earthling saiyan had robbed me of that opportunity." He continued, muscles flexing tightly against purple skin. "But it appears that fate has seen fit to bless me with another one."</p><p>An aura of energy erupted around him and a malicious smile spread across his face.</p><p>Then they advanced at frightening speed.</p><hr/><p>The skies were awash with fire and smoke as the machine cut through the atmosphere and sank its predatory claws deeper into Ryli's icy surface. The wounds stretched as far as the eye can see, drawing molten blood which flowed hot and orange and smoked the air.</p><p>It was a fitting backdrop to the carnage below as the Rylosi, nearly a million strong, fought the countless invaders birthed screaming from the machine.</p><p>While the Rylosi were swarmed from below, the battle in the sky was a different story.</p><p>The blows sang through the air, whipping ash, smoke and mist from the battlefield and mountain tops.</p><p>The duo, two of the most powerful beings in the universe, soared across the continent… cutting through the maelstrom amid a backdrop of machinery, chaos and death. White fire chased black smoke as they streaked across the skies, clashing intermittently with lightning quick strikes in a calculated game of cat and mouse.</p><p>A bright white bullet of ki erupted from Coola's palm but the wraith dodged it deftly as it arced its flight downwards. A second was deflected while the third was returned, accompanied by an entourage of black ki which closed in on the galactic overlord like a blanket of dark light.</p><p>But Coola was quick, arcing his flight up and over the assault to resume the pursuit.</p><p>The wraith was equally so. It shot up to meet him at lightning speed with furrowed brows and a white fist cocked with punishment but Coola deflected the blow, impressed at the speed and forethought. He was less impressed, however, with the follow-up as Frieza spun with the deflection, summersaulted and swiped blindly with its tail.</p><p>"Foolish!" Coola bellowed.</p><p>He dodged neatly, caught the tail readily, and spun three-sixty; using strength and momentum to send his brother sailing <em>hard</em> towards the ground.</p><p>Disappointing.</p><p>Though the wraith recovered quickly; back-flipping to right itself, gouging ice and rock as it slid backwards with the momentum before shooting back into the air. Just in time to dodge a barrage of energy blasts that reduced the ground below to hot shards and pebbles.</p><p>"Interesting…"</p><p>It responded swiftly, a death beam piercing the smoky fog, but Coola evaded neatly before responding in kind. The streaming bullet of ki was deflected swiftly, the wraith not missing a beat, before it sailed off into the distance and detonated with a muted flash.</p><p>Smoke and lava spewed hot from below.</p><p>Coola didn't allow his brother to rest, however, following it with a tight row of rapid white bullets which sang on their pursuit. But the machine demonstrated his dexterity; turning, wavering, and twirling mid-flight as the white hot energy balls missed by mere inches and ignited the earth in a wall of fire.</p><p>"Cowardly, Brother!" He smirked, but he was enraptured none the less.</p><p>This thing was reactive, aerodynamic and lightning quick, with a strong preference for caution and counter blows. And Coola, ever patient, was happy to oblige.</p><p>They clashed repeatedly in a flurry of blows, deafening bangs, punches, kicks, deflections and energy blasts as Coola chased the wraith across the battlefield.</p><p>The purple rylo swung a fist neat fist; which the machine ducked before shifting inside his guard for a counter roundhouse; which parried and evaded with a neat cartwheel then countered with a roundhouse of Coola's own; which was caught and countered with a swing that sent him spinning wildly in the air before a sharp thrusting kick to the midsection sent him sailing sharply towards the ground.</p><p>But Coola was just as dextrous as his brother… more-so even… landing adroitly before darting back to dodge the follow-up blow that shattered the floor. His arms flew up a split second later and blocked a sharp fist that rattled his bones but spared his jaw. His arm snapped out like a cobra, catching the wrist before the wraith could pull away, but a quick squirm and rotation later and Frieza's wrist snaked free before Coola could draw him in.</p><p>He slipped away just in time to dodge the counter jab and the roundhouse kick before rocketing off into the sky once more in a hail of dust and black fire.</p><p>There was no cautious observation this time, just sheer speed. Frieza fled his brother, soaring off the coast and far over the smoking ocean before arcing his flight and shooting up like a rocket. The sound barrier broke with a boom and a crack on his ascent.</p><p>"What are you up to…?" Coola muttered.</p><p>The rylo gave chase, though cautiously, bracing himself for a counter attack that would no doubt come. After all, Frieza had nowhere to go but orbit or down through him, and he could bet on which one it would choose. This little cat and mouse game of theirs had taken on a familiar pattern.</p><p>Sure enough, shortly after breaking through the clouds, the machine spun and went on the offensive; descending towards his brother at liquefying speed.</p><p>Instead of meeting Coola, however, the wraith became closely acquainted with an energy ball, which detonated in his face faster than even he could react.</p><p>For a split second, the sky was alight with a blinding flash and the clouds swept with a cutting wind.</p><p>A hastily erected shield was enough to absorb most of the damage, still the flash-force left the wraith unbalanced and uncoordinated.</p><p>And, crucially, off guard.</p><p>Coola accelerated to capitalise, malice in his eyes and punishment in his fists.</p><p>"Sloppy!" He bellowed.</p><p>Until two sharp black beams of boiling energy erupted unexpectedly from the wraith's eyes.</p><p>It was sheer instinct that enabled Coola to evade the first two blasts, despite the speed of his ascent; the third he met head-on, responding in kind. Pride flooding his soul and sibling rivalry clouding his judgement.</p><p>Black met white in a compact maelstrom of fire and smoke, which only intensified as the two fought against the concussive force of the energy eruptions and crept closer to each other.</p><p>Coola grit his teeth, eyes burning and maelstrom brightening as it approached critical mass.</p><p>Then it burst with a sharp flash that blinded him and a concussive force that sent him tumbling and spiralling towards the bubbling ocean below.</p><p>He could survive the liquid, without a doubt, though the energy expenditure it would take to fortify his body against the deadly element was more than he was willing to spare under such circumstances.</p><p>It took several crucial seconds to recover his vision and he was able to slow his fall with a jolt. But seconds amounted to eternity in a fight and the wraith, synthetically-sighted and gravity-assisted, rocket towards his organic brother with enough speed <em>cut</em> through the air.</p><p>Two seconds later, his feet met Coola's chest and the larger belligerent allowed a pained grunt to escape him. It didn't work a second time; Coola's arms blocked Frieza's heels and he halted their descent.</p><p>"It'll take more than that, Frieza!" He goaded.</p><p>However, it took a significant amount of effort to hold them both over the water and the revenant, caution tossed aside, took full advantage.</p><p><em>Hard</em> blows rained down upon the would-be emperor; rocking his jaw, rattling his cheek and denting his solar plexus. Four… five… six… seven… eight unanswered blows rained down with graceless sadism as Coola struggled to retain his grip on his energy. The odd cold-heat of the waves licked and clawed at his back.</p><p>The assault continued until the oceans began to rumble and the waves began to smoke. Something caught the wraith's attention and he halted the assault before soaring off into the air.</p><p>Dazed and tender from the assault as Coola was, instinct still screamed at him he burst up a second later.</p><p>Barely a blink had passed before the waters swelled then exploded and a monstrous creature emerged from the depths, snapping its jaws in a futile effort to claim the two fighters. They paid it no mind in their mutual bloodlust until it leapt and spewed a geyser of molten fluid at the duo before diving beneath the waves once again.</p><p>Two shields burst into life just as the fountain struck, the force accelerating the fighters' already rapid ascent into the marbled, smoky skies. Coola flew wildly with the momentum, striking his tumbling brother bodily before they regained control of their ascent and the conflict re-ignited.</p><p>A rapid exchange of blows followed, cracking sharply in the air with a whip that cut through the wind like a blade… a punch parried, another blocked, a foot caught, a body thrown, the follow-up parried and countered, a sharp blow to the stomach followed with a harder cross, the third blocked and countered with a vengeful body blow.</p><p>Teeth grit, veins throbbing, eyes locked and filled with malice, emotions at a height, fury dominant.</p><p>It fought like Frieza, Coola noted. Elegant violence. Enough for him to <em>know</em> his brother still resided somewhere within the machine. Though, lacking the sneering malice and the familiar foolish smile the belied a sinister mind. Still, the movements were smooth and rapid but with a new machine like efficiency to compliment the familiar relentlessness and flow.</p><p>Dispatching the earthling saiyan would always be a point of principle and practicality, but to kill his brother?</p><p>His rival for the galactic throne?</p><p>A worthy opponent for the most powerful being in the universe.</p><p>There were no tail swings during this exchange though. The fool respected his skill enough not to repeat the mistake.</p><p>A hard punch banged Coola's firm forearm, inching him back and unsettling his flight, but the follow-up thrust was caught.</p><p>"Predictable!"</p><p>The wraith paid for the predictability with a hard knee to the stomach. A split second later, Coola spun in a blink, twisted with a roar of intent, and delivered a hard roundhouse to the spine.</p><p>But the opening didn't remain long enough to press the advantage. The wraith recovered with an energy beam aimed acutely between Coola's eyes… it was only his reflexes enabled him to dodge it neatly and the ones that followed.</p><p>The last was a diversion, detonating in a burst of smoke that blinded him. A second later, Frieza emerged from the smoke like a ghost from the fog. He was lightning quick; darting past a wild recovery punch, slipping inside Coola's defences, and punishing with a hard bang to the ribs and a graceful foot to the jaw.</p><p>His head snapped back sharply, obscuring his sight, yet muscle memory alone steeled him at the follow-up he knew would come.</p><p>Sure enough, an invisible force slammed his chest. Hard. And he sailed into the air, tumbling end over end, and losing precious seconds to right himself. By the time he'd halted his ascent, with arms and legs spread and braced, it was already too late.</p><p>The purple hue of Coola's skin was lost in the death ball's sun-like glow.</p><p>Clearly death hadn't robbed his brother of his sharpness.</p><p>The enormous iridescent mass of concentrated energy shot towards him at stunning speed, illuminating the skies and casting the apocalyptic painting of volcanic soot and orange hues in a thick blanket of yellow and white.</p><p>Coola couldn't think about erecting a shield; he didn't have time…</p><p>"Clever, Brother…" He breathed.</p><p>A brief flash of dread cut through his core before instinct kicked in and a thick layer of ki fortified his flesh moments before annihilation struck.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Coola pressed his face to the dreadnaught's observation window, short black horns tapping lightly against the thick glass.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His brow quirked curiously and the large ball of snow and ice hovering in the midst of space.</em>
</p><p>"<em>It's an icy rock." He stated flatly, turning to his father behind him.</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold peered down at him, amusement dancing in his eyes at the sight of his young son's confusion.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Coola glared in annoyance before studying the planet once more.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Frieza, by contrast, looked decidedly unimpressed… standing to his brother's left, arms crossed lazily across his young chest, eyes narrowed at the observation window, and a pout puffing his bottom lip.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why did you bring us here, Father?" He demanded.</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold laughed.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Such impatience. Boys, you mustn't be so dismissive. That 'icy rock' is the reason why our species is so strong."</em></p><p>"<em>That's Ryli?" Coola asked incredulously.</em></p><p>"<em>It looks like a popsicle." Frieza added. "After all you told us, I expected something far more impressive."</em></p><p>"<em>Strength is not born from comfort, Son. Remember that."</em></p><p>"<em>Hmph."</em></p><p>"<em>You'll appreciate it more when we land." He began. "The environment is hostile."</em></p><p>"<em>Because of the strong gravity, right Father?" Coola offered. As always, he'd done his homework. "The Codex said walking there is like carrying a hundred rocks on your back. Plus it's so cold, most other sapient life forms would freeze to death on contact. Plus it's crawling with giants and flying monsters and-"</em></p><p>"<em>All true, Coola."</em></p><p>
  <em>Frieza rolled his eyes.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Show-off…" He muttered, rolling his eyes. "Though being crushed alive, freezing to death, or being torn apart by monsters… any one of those would be a fitting way to deal with our enemies."</em></p><p>
  <em>His young face twisted into a wicked smile.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Coola glared, nose and lip curling in disgust.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His father, by contrast, laughed.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Indeed it would be, though I doubt the Rylosi would allow that."</em></p><p>"<em>Rylosi?" Frieza asked.</em></p><p>"<em>It means citizen." Coola replied, smugly.</em></p><p>
  <em>Frieza glared.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why wouldn't they allow it, Father?"</em></p><p>"<em>It's a complicated matter." King Kold began.</em></p><p>
  <em>He explained the history of the planet to his young sons; from the cataclysms that had culled their species over thousands of years, to the pride and fanaticism that flowed through the fabric of their society. Kold placed particularly strong emphasis on the collective spirit of the Rylosi as well as the value in which they placed on their cultural practices.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And Coola listened, rapt as always, until he was done.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Wow!" He whispered in awe. "We really survived all of that?"</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold nodded.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Indeed we did, and we are stronger for it. The pinnacle of galactic civilisation."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola ran up to the observation window once more, this time he gazed at the planet with wide-eyed wonder. He was suddenly very aware of its beauty… its ethereal white glow, the crystal shimmer of its waters, the tiny mountaintops peaking above the clouds.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I think I see it father." His finger pressed against the glass. "Right there. The Garden."</em></p><p>"<em>No, those are the Valour Mountains." He corrected, much to Coola's embarrassment. "The Garden isn't quite tall enough to be seen from here."</em></p><p>
  <em>Frieza smirked.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Looks like the know-it-all doesn't quite know it all."</em></p><p>"<em>Shut up!"</em></p><p>"<em>Make me!"</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold caught the two boys before they could attack each other; like dolls in his hands, such was the difference in size.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Save it for the proving grounds, boys." He admonished, plopping them back on the ship floor. They barely reached his knees. "I want you on your best behaviour for the harvest ceremony."</em></p><p>
  <em>The young rylo huffed but obeyed. Kong Kold was agreeable as a father until you awoke his ire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Frieza returned to his pouting, Coola to his observation.</em>
</p><p>"<em>So, if I eat that fruit, I'll be as strong as you one day, Father?"</em></p><p>"<em>No." King Kold responded, much to his elder son's confusion, until a smile spread across his face. "Stronger."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola grinned in return, swelling with pride.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Frieza, looked decidedly unimpressed.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What's the point of participating in this ceremony if the whole planet hates us?" He declared. "This whole thing is stupid."</em></p><p>"<em>Is not!"</em></p><p>"<em>Is so!"</em></p><p>"<em>Coola." King Kold began. "Your brother is entitled to his opinion."</em></p><p>
  <em>The younger rylo poked his tongue out at his brother, and Coola did the same.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I'd never want to live on such a stupid, cold rock." Frieza declared. "Father, if our people are so strong, why won't they leave and conquer the galaxy like our ancestors did?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola watched as his father was momentarily transfixed with the home world.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I often ask the same thing." He responded.</em></p><p>
  <em>Frieza humphed, sneering in dissatisfaction.</em>
</p><p>"<em>If was ruling that planet, I'd make them."</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold crouched to a massive knee and laid a hand on his youngest son's head.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Perhaps one day you will."</em></p><hr/><p>It burned, even with the fortification, and Coola roared in both exertion and pain as the death ball burst through the clouds and carried him into the stratosphere.</p><p>Day quickly became night as the death ball's ascent continued unabated.</p><p>He couldn't stop it, try as he might, and he couldn't return it either. It was too fast and too powerful. It was only a matter of time before it reached critical mass or found a home and detonated.</p><p>But he could reflect it.</p><p>Still, as he did, it took every ounce of effort he had to shift his weight. But, powerful warrior that he was, he was able to engage a sufficient amount of ki to interact with it and, with one last roar of exertion, sent it sailing wildly into the depths of space.</p><p>A heavy silence was all that remained.</p><p>It seemed his brother had decided to cease the games. Very well, this had been an opportunity for which he'd been waiting his entire life.</p><p>It took several long moments for his ears to stop ringing and several more to catch his breath. By the time he did, he realised he was in orbit, gazing down at Ryli in wonder from the vast emptiness of space.</p><p>What he saw was equally parts majestic as it was horrific.</p><p>He could see Arc Valour to the north; its vast mountain tops mere spots on the surface, breaking through the clouds and stretching towards the heavens. But the continents were now cracked, landmasses shattered, smoke fogged the atmosphere and the icy white and wispy blue ball that had glowed brightly amongst the stars had been snuffed with a smog of orange fire and volcanic ash.</p><p>But that was nothing… he saw the true scale of the planet's assailant.</p><p>The machine was large and a faded silver… and a third of the planet's surface had been wrapped in a metallic embrace.</p><p><em>A third</em>…</p><p>It was an incomprehensibly huge metal world that had bared down on Ryli like a predator stalking its prey… that had been so large from the surface that it stretched east and west and to the heavens with no end in sight… it had expanded and claimed the planet for its own.</p><p>And it protruded from the atmosphere with a large, rounded peak that jutted out into space like a cancerous boil.</p><p>Impossible… unprecedented… but there it was, plain as day.</p><p>How…</p><p>Why…</p><p>He couldn't answer.</p><p>Worse still, its grasp seemed to expand and sink its claws deeper into the planet's surface. Claiming its prey. And the wounds festered with soot and bled magma.</p><p>It was in the core, he realised.</p><p>Coola had destroyed enough planets in his time to intimately understand the effects of disrupting a planet's core. There was an art to it.</p><p>Ryli would not survive this for long.</p><p>In an instant, his finger was erect and a tiny ball of red energy glowed hot above the tip… but he couldn't do it. He couldn't just destroy the thing, not while it was latched on to his home world, or else he'd just end up destroying them both.</p><p>In all his years of rule, Coola had never experienced impotence such as this.</p><p>And envy.</p><p>Such power…</p><p>So consumed was he by what he had just witnessed that he was almost startled when something nudged his shoulder. He spun rapidly and seized his assailant, his other hand speared and pointed… before realising it was a decapitated head.</p><p>A rylo, pale yellow skin, vacant eyes, a bloodied neck, and decorated with a deep purple sash.</p><p>A forager, Captain, and it wasn't the only one.</p><p>He suddenly became aware of the Rylosi remains dotted about the planet's orbit in their thousands; limbs and bodies floating in the vast black ocean… some bloodied and other cauterised.</p><p>They'd been massacred in defence of the home world.</p><p>Suddenly, his frustration at the day's unfolding amplified. His head grew hot with self-admonishing rage and the skull cracked beneath the tightness of his grasp.</p><p>He was responsible… part of him whispered. He and his hubris, just like his brother.</p><p>But no… he wasn't like his brother or his father.</p><p>He <em>wasn't</em>…</p><p>Pride had been at the forefront of his mind during the battle but now the survival of his home world became paramount. He had a people to elevate and a planet to rule.</p><p>His eyes flicked down to the planet once again, just in time to spot the wraith streaking into orbit at a rapid pace. The source of his frustration, the foil to his plans, and the bane of his existence returned from the dead. A sudden burst of hatred flooded his sense, his muscles swelled with power once again, and, with a muted roar, he tore down towards the planet to meet him head on.</p><p>Three seconds later, their fists connected, and the shockwave was so powerful it whipped the Forager corpses wildly in the black ocean.</p><p>Throughout their clash, amidst the flurry of blows, the planetary parasite nagged at the forefront of his mind. He needed to find a way to release Ryli from its grasp.</p><p>With a renewed quickness, he parried a firm punch before punishing with a hard uppercut to the stomach and a harder elbow to the back of the head. The wraith plummeted briefly but that was all the time Coola needed to make his escape; he jetted off towards the large machine with urgency.</p><p>The wraith recovered quickly and predictably pursued him with matching speed.</p><p>Excellent.</p><p>Chase me, Brother, he thought. I'll return you and this machine back to hell.</p><p>Still, he wouldn't make it easy for him.</p><p>They surfed the planet's stratosphere like comets cutting through the night before Coola swivelled deftly and released a hot stream of bullets from his fingers. Frieza dodged, evaded or parried every one, before retaliating; twins streams of black energy bursting from its eyes.</p><p>Coola dodged them, and the ones that followed, and their dance continued.</p><p>The firefight streaked over Ryli's molten skies until a sudden flash from the darkness struck Coola's peripheral vision.</p><p>The death ball had found a home and detonated somewhere in the depths of the star system. The distant explosion proved to be a momentary distraction but that was all that wraith needed to close the gap.</p><p>It accelerated rapidly over him, twirling to evade a hastily aimed energy ball, before descending rapidly with fist cocked with brutal force… just as the duo reached the enormous planet-devouring machine.</p><p>Coola managed to brace himself and raise his arms to block, but still the force of the punch rattled his body, wavered his flight, and pushed him towards the metal surface. Skilful as he was, however, he caught the follow up punch… then their fingers interlinked and the conflict became a battle of wills. Coola staring unflinchingly into his brother's eyes with grit teeth and pulsing veins.</p><p>Frieza's own… black with taciturn neutrality.</p><p>The wraith forced him down and his back <em>dragged</em> against the surface, denting the metal with friction and stripping the machine of its skin plate by plate.</p><p><em>Good</em>, Brother! Show me your desire!</p><p>Adrenaline surged through him, as if dissatisfied by the display, and he drove a firm knee into its gut. Then his hand shot up, seized the creature's face, and ploughed its head into the surface of the moon; <em>ripping </em>and <em>tearing </em>strips of metal in their wake.</p><p>The stalemate wouldn't last, Coola realised.</p><p>He was rapidly approaching his limit, his power had peaked, and, with each passing moment, he was expending more and more precious drops of energy keeping up with this machine.</p><p>His body nagged at him to open the gates, transform and flood his body with overwhelming power, and Coola would soon oblige.</p><p>The wraith, soon to be focus of his wrath, had wriggled free, summersaulted with the forward momentum and struck him harshly in the back with his tail. A clever use, for once. Though Coola recovered quickly, rolling with the momentum and skidding to a stop along the surface.</p><p>It vibrated oddly beneath its feet.</p><p>His power spiked as he dodged a black bullet that gouged metal plating from the surface, and the next, and the next… grinning with each successive evasion as he flanked his brother before closing in with malice on his face and eyes that glowed pupil-less with a furnace-like red.</p><p>It was time.</p><p>Just as the wraith attempted to punish him with a hard iridescent fist… the gates swung open, the strength poured in, and his being was flooded with new power.</p><p>He caught the fist with blinding speed and held it with renewed strength.</p><p>The wraith frowned; its brows furrowing at the sudden slant in momentum. There was brief lull in the battle as the two belligerents stared at each other… then the world atop the world-ending machine exploded into chaos and purple light.</p><p>A wall of wind struck Frieza with such force it nearly blew the wraith into space. It was only Coola's grip that kept it in close proximity.</p><p>Then Coola's fist grew rapidly until it completely smothered his brother's, and his joints popped as his mass grew three-fold. Three feet were added to his height, his muscles swelled, his skin darkened with a richer purple hue, his shoulder plates warped and expanded beyond his shoulders, and long white blades grew from beneath his forearms.</p><p>Then there was his face… rich with malevolence as the carapace became decorated with demonic white horns.</p><p>He grinned at his diminutive brother with a foul, white grin before a mouth visor covered his fangs, and the wraith looked back at him with furrowed brows and black eyes pearlescent with contemplation.</p><p>Game over, Frieza.</p><p>Then his fist collided with the wraith's head with such force, it cratered the metal beneath them.</p><hr/><p>The skyline was dominated by metal as the continent-spanning tendrils sank deeper into the planet's surface and stretched unendingly into the heavens. And Ryli cried out with a howl of wind, wept tears of melting ice, and spewed ash and magma into the skies.</p><p>It was the perfect backdrop for war as the Rylosi struggled against the endless horde of husks <em>pouring </em>out of the planet's festering wounds like a milky puss.</p><p>The planet's wispy blues had long since been replaced by dismal oranges and browns, and icy chill and seasonal blizzards had been replaced by soot and ash, but the gravity seemed to be amplified.</p><p>That was when their endurance began to fail.</p><p>The weakest were picked off swiftly; seized by metal mutants and dragged underground, or ambushed by a swarm after a mistimed attack, or vaporised due to inattentiveness, or seized from the air when trying to make an escape.</p><p>Chaos was the order of the day and it spread across the western-most continent.</p><p>That was when a bang echoed sharply from the skies and the warring brothers returned from orbit.</p><p>The concussive force alone swept the clouds like dust and sent the wraith plummeting towards the crowded enormous brother pursued him hungrily, wrapped in a fiery purple blaze of strength as he tore through air, husk and rylo alike.</p><p>Adrenaline coursing through his veins… He was a god.</p><p>A living god.</p><p>A large wave of black energy erupted from the revenants palm, vaporising any unfortunate combatants in its path and bathing the battlefield in an eclipse-like darkness.</p><p>But Coola only laughed.</p><p>What could <em>that</em> do to him?</p><p>He punctuated his unwavering faith in his power by accelerated <em>right through</em> the wave.</p><p>It couldn't harm him in this form. <em>Nothing</em> could harm him in this form.</p><p>No husk. No super saiyan.</p><p>No revenant.</p><p>He caught his tiny challenger a second later, latching onto his face and torso with two massive hands and bone crushing force, then accelerated faster still.</p><p>The crowd below closed in on them with a growing crescendo of screams and war cries. Then they cratered the battlefield; scattering rubble, rylo, berserkers and elites in their descent into the planet's depths.</p><p>The most attentive and reactive of the warring belligerents were able to regain their bearings and evacuate the battlefield. Others were less fortunate as the ground started to shake.</p><p>A moment later, the crater burst to life, vaporising everything above in a searing hot light and sending charred, smoking rubble soaring into the sky.</p><p>Coola emerged from it, ascending slowly; the density of his ki capturing rocks with him like gravity before they shook and crumbled under its intense weight.</p><p>He was lord of all he surveyed and rightful ruler of the galaxy.</p><p>Frieza, on the other hand… the explosion sent it spiralling and smoking through the air before it managed to halt its momentum.</p><p>"Pitiful!" Coola sneered, humoured.</p><p>Whether it was divine mercy or humour, Coola allowed him a moment to right himself… and the <em>honour</em> of observing his magnificence unmolested. With those cold, pearlescent black didn't know if machines felt fear but he'd allow him to consider repentance.</p><p>In that brief, intimate moment between the two brothers, Coola spotted a swarm of husks encircling and encroaching in his peripheral vision and a vast sea of them emerging from the machine.</p><p>Laughable.</p><p>A wave of the hand was all that was needed to summon a white hot wave of ki and burn them all to ash.</p><p>He counted a million corpses-worth. Instantaneous punishment for their insolence.</p><p>Countless more tried again, this time from his left, but the judgement came just as swiftly.</p><p>How dare they even <em>attempt</em> to harm him!</p><p>To even <em>lay eyes</em> on him…</p><p>To make him even exert the energy to humble such unworthy life forms…</p><p>A half-second later his attention returned to his doomed brother, or rather his brother's counter attack. A black energy ball rapidly approached him, but like everything else, it was nothing… and his hand snapped out swiftly and plucked it from the air.</p><p>Clearly he had chosen not to repent.</p><p>Good.</p><p>It was time to punish him. Both for his actions and the look of defiant indifference on his face.</p><p>He crushed the energy ball as he watched the infidel retreat, clearly an attempt to put distance between them. But Lord Coola had already proven that nothing was beyond him… that any attempt to confront or evade his might was futile.</p><p>He allowed his brother that head start before a bellowing laugh escaped him and he exploded into action. The ground burst to rubble beneath his feet as he accelerated towards his prey.</p><p>"There <em>is</em> no escape, Brother!"</p><p>The wraith's retreat was speedy, taking him back beyond the limits of the battlefield and across the land mass. The retreat was even covered by a death beam. But like all things, when compared to his strength, it was laughable.</p><p>But he would have fun.</p><p>In an instant, Coola dove into the ground, bursting rock and earth on his descent, shattering boulders underground and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. All the while, he easily dodged and evaded each death beam that pierced the rock from above, and ploughed through each explosion as his brother rained energy to the bruised planet surface.</p><p>Not because he had to, just because he could.</p><p>The pursuit soon became aquatic as the wraith flew off the coast and soared over the ocean. Coola, undisturbed, exploded from the rock and into the acidic water, which bubbled and smoked harmlessly around him.</p><p>He glowed like a purple light in the mist, dodging the hail of black fire as the energy beams exploded beneath the waters depths and summoned waves of acid in their wake.</p><p>Then he dove deeper, into the blackness.</p><p>Silent reigned for several long moments.</p><p>Then the sea began to bubble. Then boil. Then burst as Coola blasted from the smoking waves and ascended at liquid speed.</p><p>"Here I come!" He bellowed.</p><p>The wraith couldn't avoid him, Coola knew… such was his speed. Instead it braced himself for impact with arms crossed. But he grinned a knowing grin beneath his visor. He closed in, an inch from the creature's face.</p><p>Then disappeared.</p><p>A heartbeat later, a backhand struck the back of the creature's head with enough force to send it plummeting toward the waves.</p><p>The wraith <em>slapped</em> the water like concrete, and for a brief moment, the smoking poison was <em>cratered</em>. Until Coola landed on him, a large purple foot smothering the torso and breaking the water's surface.</p><p>The ocean responded to the assault.</p><p>The same monstrous sea creature, ever persistent, emerged from the depths; consuming both victoriously before sinking back beneath the waves.</p><p>It wouldn't have long to savour the meal before an explosion tore through the depths, sending a poisonous tidal wave streaming towards the shore.</p><p>Charred meat and viscera rained from the sky, and Frieza and Coola, smoking and hot, hovered above the water and stood off in mutual antipathy.</p><p>Frieza; face neutral, gate relaxed, and utterly untouched. Coola; flooded with hatred and panting with rage.</p><p>How <em>dare</em> he not wallow in misery and pain! How <em>dare</em> he not bow to his superior power!</p><p>Their auras burst to life over the ocean, then they clashed once again.</p><p>The heady mix of power, euphoria and rage was intoxicating, and it blotted all of Coola's senses. The would-be god was so swept up in his apparent superiority that he failed to notice the patterns starting to emerge.</p><p>A wild purple swipe was evaded, infuriating the monstrous rylo, before the wraith countered with a blow to the stomach. The fist was little more than a pillow to Coola in this form, but the insolence necessary to even <em>think</em> he had the right to challenge his wrath smoked Coola's vision with mindless rage.</p><p>He lashed out with a backhand but that was dodged just as neatly, before Frieza did the unthinkable… spinning with a small smirk on his face and striking him with his tail.</p><p>His <em>tail</em>…</p><p>It barely tickled Coola's flesh but, to his ego, it struck like an asteroid and his vision became as red as his eyes.</p><p>"You dare!"</p><p>With a roar of rage, he seized the tail with such force he nearly tore it from his brother's body. Had he been in the right frame of mind, he would have attempted to. Instead he pulled him into a hard clothesline, one which spun the wraith backwards and nearly tore the head clean from its shoulders. Then, with a speed that belied his size, he seized the wraith's head and pulled him into a shattering knee to the face.</p><p>For all others, it would have been fatal; for the wraith, insanely durable as it was proving, it appeared to be a game.</p><p>Its recovery was far swifter than it should have been, two more blows were evaded, and it shot off to resume their earlier game of cat and mouse.</p><p>But Coola was in no mood to play.</p><p>He caught up with ease as they soared over a mountain range, and surprised him from behind with a vengeful blow. But the wraith was slowly becoming accustomed to his violent patterns and blocked it with crossed arms.</p><p>Still, the sheer force was hard enough to send his brother soaring backwards through a mountain, but nowhere near hard enough to satisfy his vengeance.</p><p>He had not broken him; the impudence was still there.</p><p>He'd still had the temerity to block his strike, denying him a clean connection… he'd still had the audacity to sneer at his might with indifference in his eyes and a smirk on his lips.</p><p>He'd tear that face off… that would be his judgement. He'd see just how much of his brother truly remained within the machine.</p><p>Like a missile, he soared around the mountain, meeting Frieza as he burst from the other side. His large purple hand clasped his brother's leg tightly, halted his momentum with a jerk, before tossing him towards the ground with such force the air screamed as he tore through it.</p><p>His impact with the ground was akin to a bullet tearing through paper and he was buried in rubble and rock. But even then, Coola did not allow him to rest; plummeting at searing speed, a roar in his throat, and landing feet first with enough force to <em>spider-web</em> the ground and submerge them both in a sea of rock.</p><p>When the dust and rock settled and the plains went silent, it was Coola that emerged first. He rose slowly but his breathing betrayed the rage still swimming through his senses.</p><p>He wasn't done. His retribution would have one final chapter.</p><p>And he knew just how he would do it.</p><p>Once he reached altitude, his fingertip once again twinkled before a tiny ball of bright yellow energy sparked into being. Then, in a flash, it expanded and dwarfed the mountain, bathing the plains in iridescent golden light.</p><p>Retaliation.</p><p>The death ball hummed ominously, the gravity alone sweeping rock and dust.</p><p>"Frieza!" He screamed into the abyss, the laugh and bellow echoing off the plain. "Time to die again, Brother!"</p><p>He would prove once and for all that he was better than him.</p><p>He would bring the insolent bastard to heel.</p><p>With a roar of triumph and a laugh, he launched it at the mountain range.</p><p>"Send Father my regards!"</p><p>It took four long seconds for it to strike the ground and sink into the surface, smoking the rock beneath for a mile. Then, with a clenching of his fist, it detonated in a maelstrom of noise and a near blinding flash.</p><p>The mountain range was torn apart, rocks dispersed before vaporising in an instant, and the pained howling of the planet was drowned in a crescendo of noise.</p><p>When the light storm abated and the smoke had cleared, nothing remained of the mountain range but a rain of rubble and ash, and a long black crater that stretched into the distance.</p><p>A long silence reigned over the plain.</p><p>The devastation satiated much of Coola's bloodlust and his rage-fuelled aura faded.</p><p>With a mirthful laugh, he began his descent, his mind drifting to the melted machinery and parts that no doubt made up his brother's corpse.</p><p>If anything was left.</p><p>"Insolent little cunt." He spat, his breath calming.</p><p>After he'd annihilated the planetary parasite, he would return triumphant to his people with Frieza's head as a keepsake and they would have no choice but to bow before him and crown him king. He decided there and then that resistance would be met with annihilation and worship would be rewarded.</p><p>Subtlety and subterfuge would be done away with, as would the Elders.</p><p>He'd drag his people kicking and screaming into a new age of dominance.</p><p>He'd retake his empire with their renewed strength and dominate the galaxy for a new millennia.</p><p>Coola's mirth was not to last.</p><p>He watched incredulously as the ash and rubble began to shift.</p><p>"No…" he muttered. "It can't be."</p><p>But it was.</p><p>Frieza emerged slowly from the grave, hard lacquered alloy unmarked and gleaming in the sun. His ascent was slow and mocking and it continued until he was at eye level with his brother, who was now apoplectic.</p><p>Crimson eyes glared at the revenant; drinking in the insultingly relaxed posture, the mocking sneer, the frown, the furrowed brows which framed glimmering black eyes.</p><p>With a roar of rage, Coola's muscles bulged and the wind burst into life around him… then he closed that gap between them with blistering speed and delivered a blow with all his might, connecting with such force the crack echoed across the plain.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>He confronted his father in his quarters; bursting into the chamber and interrupting a meeting with the captain of his guard.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fear radiated from the middle-aged soldier with a potency equal to Coola's rage. He stood frozen, caught in a potential crossfire, but a quick word from the giant rylo dismissed rescued him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>We'll finish this later." King Kold had said, and the minion had scurried out of the room.</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola knew his father must have expected this and he would not be denied. He knew what this was about.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Drink?" King Kold offered, strolling towards his wine cabinet. The metal doors slid open of their own accord and revealed a collection of reds from across the galaxy. "It would be rude of you to refuse, considering you interrupted my meeting."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola remained silent and seething. He would not be placated.</em>
</p><p>"<em>No? Then how about some dinner." He offered. "Our chefs have finally received that shipment of meat from the Vana system. Tenderised over three months. A delicacy-"</em></p><p>"<em>Why?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola's features were still as a pond but Kold knew his son. His rage, barely concealed, was betrayed by his tense gate and the stiffness of his tail.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Who told you?" Kold enquired began, placing the drink down on the desk. "Argo, no doubt. He's always been loyal to you."</em></p><p>
  <em>He sighed.</em>
</p><p>"<em>For what it's worth, I didn't give the order."</em></p><p>
  <em>His attempted placation did little to cool Coola's temper, as his eyes narrowed. Clearly the information was worth little.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I know who did it, Father, I'm asking why it was done."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola's gaze was unwavering, but Kold did not blink to it.</em>
</p><p>"<em>They were becoming too powerful." He stated. "Five low-class warriors conquered Kanassa in a matter of days, and the rest of them-"</em></p><p>"<em>We destroyed an entire species, some of our finest soldiers, because they were good at their job? Since when do we reward success with punishment?"</em></p><p>"<em>Do not be flippant." Kold warned. "We're all aware of the legend… given how strong they were becoming, it was only a matter of time before one of them-</em></p><p>"<em>Nonsense! A foolish superstition and you know it!"</em></p><p>"<em>Boy, you are forgetting yourself. I am still your father."</em></p><p>"<em>Do not presume to lecture me after you allowed this travesty to occur-"</em></p><p>"<em>Legend or no legend," King Kold interjected forcefully, "if the mere barrel-scrapers of that monkey pile were capable of such an impressive feat, what do you think their best will soon be capable of? King Vegeta and his ilk?"</em></p><p>"<em>Where is this paranoia coming from? Is that you talking or Frieza?"</em></p><p>"<em>Coola, you will respect me!"</em></p><p>"<em>We are the most powerful beings in the universe. No matter how strong they are, if they were to ever dream of posing a threat, we'd cleanse the galaxy of them, but only when the time was right."</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold's eyes remained fixed on his son, unmoved by his anger as he continued.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You've always made excuses for his recklessness. Do you know what this has cost us?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola enlightened him… a sample of the three-hundred planets already contracted to be sold, the sectors that would lack adequate military presence, the years that this would cost them to address this mess, all because of Frieza's impulsiveness.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Did he even stop to consider the possibility that some of the saiyans did not return to Vegeta before he blew it to smithereens? That maybe a sudden urgent order for every saiyan to return to Vegeta might be perceived as suspicious by anyone who had bothered to think?"</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold looked humoured, which only fuelled his son's anger.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Thinking? Please. I think you may be giving the monkeys far too much credit." He joked. "Besides, the majority of them were on the planet anyway. If there were any stragglers, they can be hunted down."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola stares at his father in disbelief before shaking his head in defeat.</em>
</p><p>"<em>At the cost of even more resources." He added. "Tell me, if they've become as powerful as you and Frieza claim, how many soldiers do you think it will cost us to take just one of them down?"</em></p><p>"<em>It doesn't matter." King Kold replied, calmly retrieving his wine glass and downed it in a single gulp. "They're expendable anyway."</em></p><p>
  <em>He then poured another, offering it to his eldest son. Coola, realising the futility of his rage, accepted the peace-offering and claimed the guest seat at his father's desk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There were several long moments of silence as the elder rylo allowed some of his son's fire to cool, before he spoke again.</em>
</p><p>"<em>We still have the prince." He offered casually. "Frieza demonstrated some foresight."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola glared at his father.</em>
</p><p>"<em>A pet for him to torment." He responded, voice raspy from the wine. "And it won't keep any of them in line."</em></p><p>
  <em>A large gulp of the beverage halved the contents of the glass.</em>
</p><p>"<em>It should have been me."</em></p><p>
  <em>His father rolled his eyes in annoyance.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You're still upset about that? The decision was made, it's been years. Let it go."</em></p><p>"<em>I was the one who discovered them. I was the one who arranged their training and the Arcosian uplift. Trillions of my own personal investment spent nurturing them into the finest fighting force in the galaxy, all done for the Kold name." His words were icy with scorn. "Only for you to hand them over to that psychopathic cunt."</em></p><p>"<em>Watch your mouth; I've taught you better than that."</em></p><p>
  <em>He was deaf to the admonishment, instead his crimson eyes bored holes in the wall behind his father, and a dark corner of his mind imagined beams erupting and piercing his father's head.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Do not take my choice as an insult, Coola. But if there is one thing I understand better than anything, it is my own children."</em></p><p>
  <em>King Kold claimed his own seat.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You are both extremely powerful, near equal. But of the two of you, you have always been the more cunning; the more considered; the more intelligent and level-headed. You've always preferred a logical approach, and lean towards subterfuge, strategy and diplomacy to achieve your goals. I admire that about you. But there is one attribute you lack that your brother has in abundance."</em></p><p>"<em>And what's that?"</em></p><p>"<em>Ruthlessness."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola prepared to protest until his father pressed on.</em>
</p><p>"<em>True, you are capable of it, but not to the same extent as Frieza. Only as a last resort. You're not as conspicuous with your strength or brutality in the way your brother is. Your power is a mystery, while his is renowned, any fear you command is a by-product of the Kold name."</em></p><p>
  <em>Coola didn't have a response to that and he hated it.</em>
</p><p>"<em>And for a race like the saiyans," King Kold continued, "the kind who will shake your hand while plotting your death, whose society is organised on a strict hierarchy of strength, fear was the only thing that would keep them in line in the long run. Your name commands respect but Frieza's instils terror in the truest sense of the word."</em></p><p>
  <em>A silence reigned over the grand chamber, as father observed son and son scrutinised his beverage. Then, wordlessly, Coola tossed the drink aside before stalking towards the door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until his father's voice stopped him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Coola." He called. "Understand that, sincerely, I didn't know what your brother was planning."</em></p><p>
  <em>There was a brief silence before Coola responded.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Understand, Father, that my brother will be the death of our legacy."</em></p><hr/><p>Coola blinked, as if waiting for the laws of physics to correct themselves, but everything remained the same.</p><p>The punch did nothing.</p><p>The wraith's skull hadn't exploded or dented, nor did the head snap back. The blow hadn't even been powerful to turn the wraith's cheek, much less shift him from his firm purchase in the sky.</p><p>Coola stared in disbelief, his large arm slowly retracting.</p><p>If his power had been intoxicating, sobriety struck quickly as he'd stared into the revenants eyes.</p><p>His mind flowing with incomprehension. The same frown that had stoked so much fire in his spirit now knotted his stomach with truth and foreboding.</p><p>Then his expression shifted to a malicious smile and he realised more of his brother resided in the machine than he'd realised.</p><p>Had he been toying with him this entire time?</p><p>Impossible.</p><p>His huge fist reared back once again.</p><p>"Imposs-!"</p><p>Retaliation was the wraith's interjection.</p><p>It landed squarely on Coola's jaw faster than he could think, and it did so with enough force to propel him for miles. His struck three mountains with a yell on his throat… four… five… six… and his body rocked violently with each one.</p><p>Mercifully, the seventh halted his momentum; he ploughed into the rock face a pained, wheezing, baffled mess. It took him an age to emerge tenderly from the rubble, a mess of cuts and bruises, but they paled in comparison to the damage done to his face.</p><p>The mouth visor had been half shattered, the proud white carapace had been severely cracked and chipped, and two horns had been snapped off and lost somewhere in transit. Their menace had been desecrated.</p><p>His skull throbbed, his mind was a fog, and the sting of air in his mouth told tales of cracked and broken teeth.</p><p>All from a single punch.</p><p>Had the wraith always been this strong?</p><p>He'd absorbed hundreds of blows from their battle but none came close to that level of ferocity and power.</p><p>The hangover allowed logic to creep into his mind and a cold realisation came; that the entire exchange had been nothing more than an analysis for the machine. That he'd been toyed with.</p><p>That he'd never stood a chance.</p><p>But no. He was Lord Coola!</p><p>The most powerful being in the universe.</p><p>The <em>rightful </em>heir to King Kold.</p><p>A god… a <em>god</em>… amongst mortals in this form.</p><p>The prince who would finally integrate the Rylosi into the empire under his rule.</p><p>Nothing could-</p><p>Such thoughts were stripped from him as the wraith suddenly materialised in front of him, and he stumbled back in surprise and fear under the shadow of the mountain.</p><p>A sliver of defiance remained within him, enough to grit his teeth and stumbled to his feet.</p><p>"You…" He panted groggily. "You think you've beaten me, Brother…?"</p><p>His brother remained silent.</p><p>"I am Lord <em>Coola</em>!" He declared. "Master of the universe! You could <em>never</em>-!"</p><p>A blow to the stomach shifted his organs, and he doubled over in sheer agony. Then a backhand, delivered with the casual distain one would display to a fly, saw the bulky rylo ricocheting twice off mountain and rock before settling back first on what little remained of ice and snow.</p><p>He was done, he realised, but not before a final insult.</p><p>Then the wraith appeared above him, plummeted with a knee poised, and ruined his left leg.</p><p>Coola's bellow was so loud it could have echoed across the entire continent.</p><p>Pain flooded through his mind, despair flooded through his heart, and the revenant's sneering face filled his vision, before everything faded to black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Icarus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Icarus</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Day Four</strong>
</p>
<p>The explosion tore three floors from the tower; rocking the ground and whipping a violent shockwave through the rest of the facility.</p>
<p>The flash of light was brief but near blinding. Screams and sirens cut through the afternoon sky as thousands of workers flooded from the exits in a cloud of panic, fire and smoke.</p>
<p>Few escaped before the second attack struck.</p>
<p>In an instant, the main foyer was laid to ruin and the crowd reduced to ash. The tower's face was torn from its skeleton and the surrounding residential compound was shaken to its foundations.</p>
<p>Rubble and glass rained from the sky as Chief floated in through a window… armour shimmering red and illuminated by the fires, face like stone as he appraised the sea of bodies, and hands alight with death, which he shared generously with all.</p>
<p>A legless worker crawling for his life… his throat swiftly punctured in a flicker of red light.</p>
<p>A security guard stumbling blindly through the smoke… soaring back, burned and headless.</p>
<p>A wounded worker whimpering beneath a desk… her hiding spot overturned and her cries silenced.</p>
<p>All of it was done with extraordinary efficiency. Then, the last life extinguished, he ascended rapidly; purging each floor as he went with an urgency that betrayed his near desperate anger.</p>
<p>It was a tedious task to say the least. Vaporising the entire compound would be a hell of a lot easier but that would be no guarantee of success. He needed to make sure his target was dead.</p>
<p>He needed a body.</p>
<p>And Chief would get his prize, even if he had to comb through the compound and claim every soul.</p>
<p>Death flowed freely from his palms as he laid waste to each storey; each explosion in line with the mission parameters; 'terroristic devastation'. And each one a therapeutic release after four months of helpless inactivity… long enough for the empire to be driven to the point of near collapse and for him to be reduced to a glorified <em>mercenary</em> to save it.</p>
<p>The responsibility fell to him… because he'd been too weak to stop Sauza Omega quickly and his absence had left the empire vulnerable. Because his failure had deprived Lord Coola of his best soldier and forced him into drastic action.</p>
<p>Because Coola had no doubt been disgusted at his weakness and would express his disdain when they met again, and he needed to make amends at any cost.</p>
<p>
  <em>'His body was coated in ash, blood and sweat dripped onto the necrotic soil, his breath escaped him in hard pants…'</em>
</p>
<p>His teeth clench hard and the next explosion was excessively sharp and hot… so much so that his hands pin-pricked at the exertion.</p>
<p>But it wasn't enough.</p>
<p>
  <em>'His midsection exploded in agony… then his head hit the rock with enough force to crack it, and a metallic palm ground his face into the dust…'</em>
</p>
<p>The rage was still palpable, his muscles still tight, and the destruction he inflicted provided little release. By the time the tower's security regrouped to confront the threat, his face had twisted into a murderous frown.</p>
<p>There were ten of them.</p>
<p>Some tried to fight him but they didn't live long enough to regret it.</p>
<p>The first he dispatched in a flash, with a blow that reduced the guard's face to pulp before a beam through his chest hastened his demise. The second… he caught his punch and <em>crushed</em> the fist, watching with dissatisfaction as the guard screamed in agony, before impatience clouded his senses and he shattered the rest of the limb.</p>
<p>It still wasn't enough.</p>
<p>The guard was sent sailing into his comrades shortly after, tailed by a hot ball of ki, and a brief flash of mortal panic overcome them all before oblivion struck.</p>
<p>A window shattered and glass rained down as yet another smoking wound was blown into the tower.</p>
<p>'Make them fear you, k'iiff,' Uncle's disdain-filled spectre whispered to him, 'and you've won the battle before you've thrown the first punch.'</p>
<p>And it worked; the three that remained were terrified, though he didn't draw any satisfaction from the display the way his Uncle would have. He rarely did. Maybe that psychopathic element was missing from his DNA. Nevertheless, two of the guards surrendered on the spot, which disgusted him so he executed them anyway.</p>
<p>Others tried to flee, having seen mercy wasn't on the table, but there was nowhere to run from his wrath.</p>
<p>He continued on, startling a group of fleeing when he'd suddenly emerged through the floor. Three fled but one wasn't so quick; the terrified humanoid having stumbled clumsily to the ground. He'd barely began to utter a plea before a saiyan hand seized his throat, crushed it, and tossed him through the window.</p>
<p>Another tried to run before a well-placed bullet of ki buried him under a shower of rubble.</p>
<p>The rest were engulfed as the corridor went up in flames.</p>
<p>His tally increased but his self-loathing didn't abate.</p>
<p>The strong conquer the weak; there was no breaking that rule… if they were meant to survive him today, they'd have to be extremely strong or extremely lucky. But there was no one who were, if the energy he felt was anything to go by, and that included his target.</p>
<p>Chief had never met the Executive Councillor in person, so it was impossible to identify him on the signal alone, but there were a few clues to help him. He'd been briefed that he never strayed far from his security detail and, right now, he felt a group of powerful soldiers descending the building towards his location.</p>
<p>It was most likely a stalling tactic so his target could escape, the young saiyan rationalised, but it was another outlet for his aggression, so he accelerated his ascent. What's more, there was a frantic point of energy several storeys up; one that was a nail to the pin-pricks that comprised the now dead workforce, but smaller than the dead men approaching him.</p>
<p>Middling in power.</p>
<p>He'd found who he was looking for.</p>
<p>He met his first true adversary in an office on the fiftieth floor.</p>
<p>No sooner did he emerge than the ceiling above him imploded as the first soldier rushed to meet him. However, a bright red flash silenced his war cry as an energy ball carried his charred remains up through the tower and into the afternoon sky.</p>
<p>Idiot.</p>
<p>Chief's feet had barely touched the floor when the second burst through a wall to his right, racing toward him at fierce speed with a yell on her lips and a fist reared back.</p>
<p>He sidestepped the punch with near slumbering ease, dodged the next and the next, then irritation cut in. He countered with a hard blow to the stomach, before a roundhouse separated her head from her shoulders and sent it crashing into the wall.</p>
<p>Pathetic.</p>
<p><em>These</em> were his personal guards? <em>These </em>were some of the finest soldiers in the galaxy?</p>
<p>Three more died with an unnecessary degree of violence. The first with his head twisted over his shoulder, the next impaled by his comrade's sword in a cloud of smoke and confusion, the last had his sword seized before two limbs and his head parted company with his torso.</p>
<p>Chief didn't wait for the last one to confront him. Sensing her above, he went on the offensive; tearing through two floors and landing behind her.</p>
<p>Inattentive.</p>
<p>Panicked, she turned swiftly with a hand extended to his face, but he seized the wrist with a vice-like grip.</p>
<p>Predictable.</p>
<p>By this point he was a terrifying sight, stone face and showered in the blood of her comrades. Still, with a desperately shrill cry, her palm erupted and illuminated him in in a deadly white light that did little more than bathe him in a summery breeze.</p>
<p>It whipped his hair, filled his lungs, swept the sweat from his brow… everything but harm him, and her face morphed from malice to shock as he emerged from the light unscathed, frowning, and blowing a puff of glowing smoke from his nostrils.</p>
<p>Her face fell from shock to terror.</p>
<p>Then he laid a hand to her stomach.</p>
<p>"W-wait-"</p>
<p>A second later she struck the far wall in a spider-web of cracks; steam wafting from the crackling hole in her torso. The last of her energy was expended struggling to raise her head, and she summoned to the strength to look up at him… before her eyes became vacant and her chin rested on her chest.</p>
<p>
  <em>His pained yell caught in his throat… as the hand constricted, the windpipe closed, and his vision became cloudy and dark…</em>
</p>
<p>Five floors were all that separated the Unit Captain from his target and his foul mood was palpable as he blew through them all.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>Ten soldiers burst into his holding cell, bound him in chains, and dragged him into the hallway. Half-naked, bare-footed, and desperately weak.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The hallway had been as cold as his cell and they'd made sure he'd felt it when he first arrived; stripping him of all but his spandex before throwing him onto the cold metal floor.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Then the door had slid shut and darkness had been all he'd known.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>That had felt like months ago. Two? Maybe three? He didn't know; his resolve and sensibilities were as warn as his spandex now, as weakness, hunger and cold dominated his senses.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But he was still alive.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Saiyans are resilient, Uncle had told him. He hadn't starved to death or faded away… or cried or begged for anything from these bastards.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Uncle would've been proud… or maybe he wouldn't have. He'd spent half his life having that stubbornness viciously beat into him, so, at this point, it was probably the minimum he would've expected from him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The cold had been designed to break him, and for good reason. Strong prisoners were rebellious ones, and he'd been no different… the first guard that had opened his cell door had left without his hand. All the other visits since them had been torment. Between the cold, the punishment, and the food and sleep deprivation, nearly all his fight and defiance had been starved away.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So now, as the soldiers dragged him away to an unknown fate, he could do little more than hang his head weakly and mumble half-hearted curses as he struggled to keep step.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Were they gonna kill him?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The neighbouring cells had gradually empties in the time he'd been there, and all the prisoners were rejects or misfits or criminals of some kind.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And pirates.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Pirates were the worst… They were absolutely hated in this part of the galaxy.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Hated.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And the Lost Boys had done all they could to justify that hatred… An execution would make sense.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Plus, he was a saiyan. Uncle had taught him that the Free Saiyans, those who'd survived the genocide, were considered too dangerous to be left alive. Too rebellious and unruly. That they were hunted down and exterminated to rid the galaxy of their noble race.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Of course, Uncle probably didn't know that the "noble race" of survivors he loved so much had scattered throughout the galaxy and reverted to primitive tribalism in the decades since Vegeta blew up.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>They'd learned the hard way not to trust Ferals.</em>
</p>
<p>'<em>Fight K'iiff…' The cold words echoed through his mind… as did the laughter… as did the reticent agony of the blows as the weakness had been stripped from him layer by layer. 'Fight for your life…'</em></p>
<p>
  <em>If only he could see him now; a battered half-breed reject of a noble race. The thought made him grin weakly as his feet dragged against the freezing cold tiles.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But no… if they were gonna kill him, they wouldn't have tried to feed him. Plus they could've do it any time they wanted, like when they slaughtered the rest of the crew back on the ship.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>That prick, Sauza was his name… he was probably the only one strong enough to do it. The memory of that backhand still made him wince.</em>
</p>
<p>'<em>As for you, Monkey,' he suddenly recalled, along with the dizziness from the blow, 'I'll deliver you to Lord Coola personally.'</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Lord Coola…?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His gut interjected, cramping and growling painfully, and one of the soldiers joked about it. Laughter echoed off the walls and punched, muffled, through the thick hood, though he forcefully resisted the urge to channel his embarrassment into violence.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Despite his weakness, there was still something left in him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>No matter how foggy his mind was, or how hungry or sleep-deprived he was, he'd learned over time that there was always a spark… when he was angry enough or desperate enough… but he had to bide his time and wait for the right target.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Or maybe it wasn't death… maybe it was worse.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Uncle Raditz had taught him a lot before he got himself hilled; some of it was for survival and others just to fuck with him… The latter usually when incredibly drunk and excessively moody.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>One particular story that had never left him was how some particularly sadistic rulers and warlords liked to use young boys… how they liked to break them for sport and keep them chained up in a private dungeon somewhere. Never to be seen again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>'I'll deliver you to Lord Coola personally…'</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He didn't know if that had been a cautionary tale or just a ploy to mess with his head but the thought terrified him more than anything, even death.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And he'd been left alive while the rest of the crew had been murdered… and he was a saiyan boy… the rarest thing in the universe.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He could handle death if it came down to it; as long as he went down swinging… but being broken?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>For a moment, his power spiked… he'd kill himself and everyone around him before he allowed anyone to do that to him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Life came to his muscles as he writhed in protest… then a sudden yank of his chain jerked him from his thoughts. He found himself hoisted up and abruptly tossed to the floor. Then the hood was torn off and the brightness of the imperial chamber burned away countless days of darkness.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It took him several long moments to regain his feet, struggling blindly and awkwardly against his chains amid a backdrop of laughter and metallic rattling.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But he didn't rise to it, the anger or the mild panic… instead he listened just as he was taught.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>So, this is the saiyan you spoke of."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>A voice echoed sharply off the cavernous chamber walls, rich and easy with authority.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Yes, Sire." Sauza, the bastard, responded. He could practically hear the self-satisfaction in his tone. "The ringleader from the vessel."</em></p>
<p>"<em>A ringleader at his age? And of the Lost Boys no less… Impressive."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>A scoff.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>For a monkey at least."</em></p>
<p>"<em>I can understand why you need so many soldiers to restrain him." He mused "I trust you took care of the rest?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Eliminated, as per your command."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>So, they were targeting saiyans…</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His strength grew slowly… just as his vision began to recover, stinging and tear-filled… and the light revealed a purple and white creature scrutinising him from a hover chair.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Lord Coola. It had to be. Flanked by what he could only describe as a giant wall of pink muscle, and radiating strength, arrogance, and superiority.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His muscles slowly tensed. He'd found the right target.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>He looks filthy." The creature observed, glancing briefly at his lieutenant.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Sauza, for his part, said nothing. He was on a knee to the emperor's left, his back to the young saiyan.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Coola continued to watch him for a long moment… then he descended from his floating throne and strode towards him, eyes drifting with surgical appraisal and the attention sparked his anxiety. Every step was overconfident, like he was the most important person in the galaxy; each one unknowingly bringing him closer and closer to the young saiyan's wrath, as adrenaline carried what little energy that remained sluggishly but assuredly through his system.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Come closer, you bastard. I'll send you to hell.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He waited til his stepped past the kneeling Sauza… then, with a roar, the saiyan's chains shattered in a shower of sparks.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The soldiers were caught cold. The one closest to him paid for it with his life as a small fist ploughed into the slow fool's throat, then nothing but light stood between the boy and the emperor.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He dashed towards Coola at near blinding speed, and the emperor watched him approach utterly unperturbed…. Then a vice latched on to his tail, his momentum was halted sharply, and he was sent crashing to the ground.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The impact hurt, but adrenaline pushed him through it, and he looked up to find the pink giant with a monstrous hand wrapped around his tail.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>How…?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was fast.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But if he thought that would paralyse him, a spring and a heel to the jaw proved him wrong. A surprised grunt and the thin line of blood rushing from his lip was a satisfying reward.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The young saiyan tried to follow up with a right-cross but the punch was easily caught and the counter attack was brutal.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The giant fist moved so fast, he never saw it coming. He damn sure felt it though. His ribs bent, oxygen left him, his internal organs shifted, his strength abandoned him, spots clouded his vision, his lower extremities felt like yarn, and he collapsed onto the floor in a foetal, rasping heap.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>F-fuck…" He wheezed, clutching his stomach.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The pain… it was like nothing he'd ever experience before. And his vision cleared just in time for him to glance up and spot the impossibly large creature bearing down on him, muscles flexed and heavy with yet more punishment.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And he was scared; genuinely terrified.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He tried to raise himself onto a knee but his hand slipped from beneath him and his face fell and rested on the cold throne room floor. The agony just wouldn't stop.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Feat cut through him like a knife as the monster raised a boot… But the emperor's words spared him.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Enough."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The monster stood down immediately, which made the young saiyan wonder just how powerful this Coola was to exercise so much authority over someone so strong.</em>
</p>
<p>'<em>Power is the only thing that matters.'</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The purple emperor looked amused at the display, which made the young saiyan feel weak and impotent. He could do little more than struggle to his knees… cheeks red and eyes teary in pain and humiliation.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Well, you definitely have a saiyan temperament."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The room echoed with nervous laughter from the guards, but he could only respond with coughs and wheezes as waves of agony radiated from his gut to every pore in his body. His skull now throbbed and he wanted to throw up.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dammit.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Coola regarded him curiously.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>I must say, I had my doubts when they told me about you. A middle-aged feral, I could understand but… I haven't seen a saiyan child in nearly thirty years, much less one so strong."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He could only groan in response, glaring hard at the ground as he willed the pain away.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Though I suppose it wouldn't take much to convince a saiyan to breed."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He finally found a knee, and the fortitude to glare at his captor as he wiped an errant trail of blood from his lip.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Coola watched him curiously.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Bolo."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yes, Commander."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The pink monster's voice was heavy enough to crush stone.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Stand him up."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The monster, Bolo, seized his dull locks and dragged him to his feet. Then Coola was in front of him, quicker than he could react, and gripping his chin so firmly he could feel his jaw creek. Then, face scant inches from his own, he turned his head from left to right, thoroughly scanning his features.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Nine, maybe ten years old." He observed.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He noted every imperfection like a vendor appraised wares; the thick yet brittle mane of hair, the stubborn black eyes, the lean cheeks marred with cuts and scratches, the deep and unrelenting frown. All the while, he regarded this new overlord with a glare.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Then the creature swiftly plucked a few spare strands of his thick locks.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>And a hybrid too… so you aren't some Ferals whelp after all."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Bolo looked at him curiously.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>See how fine the hairs are?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Coola scrutinised him once more, the silence palpable over the imperial chamber, before he spoke again.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Release him."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>A voice from the background protested; one of the soldiers, startled by the sudden death of his comrade and forgetting his place.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Do you think my life is in danger?" Coola responded.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Humour danced in the emperor's tone but there was a tense, threatening undercurrent. A venomous glare from Captain Sauza reminded the soldier of his place and he fell to his knee in subservience.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>I… of course not. Forgive me, Lord Coola."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Coola nodded to Bolo, who released the young saiyan, and he stumbled forward on unsteady legs and pained breaths. Much of the suffering had finally subsided, just enough to blot out the rest.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But he was standing.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Excuse my soldiers, I don't often tolerate such insolence in my ranks." A blind gesture with his finger signalled him to rise. "Though you have killed his comrade, and good soldiers are rare and expensive to maintain. What do you have to say for yourself, Saiyan?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>A glare was his response.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Are you a mute, Boy?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>His brows furrowed further, and Coola eyed him curiously. Then the commander turned to his soldiers with a mirthful glimmer in his eye.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Did you remove his tongue?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>No, Lord Coola." One responded. "Not this one."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Have you been feeding him? He looks malnourished."</em></p>
<p>"<em>The saiyan maimed the first soldier who brought his meal, Sire. We withheld the rest as punishment."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>A fond memory flooded his mind and he smiled.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Understandable." Coola continued. "When?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Three weeks ago."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Three weeks? He was sure it'd been longer… Maybe his mind was more broken than he'd thought.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Coola turned to Bolo.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>And he still has this much exuberance?</em></p>
<p>"<em>We could always soldiers like that." Bolo boomed, glancing at the dead guard.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>They both turned to look at him.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Let's start with your name instead. What do they call you, Boy?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The emperor locked eyes with him but he held is reciprocal glare in defiance.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>You do have a name, don't you?" He continued. "For all the havoc you and your brigade have wrought throughout my galaxy, I believe a name is the least I'm owed."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He glared at Coola, then at Bolo, then turned to look at Sauza; willing him and his soldiers to die.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Te ti'in." He muttered with a sneer. "E te-saiya."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>A heavy silence permeated the room.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sauza looked confused, as did the soldiers, but Coola… Coola broke into a long laugh, much to the young saiyan's confusion.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Bolo smiled in amusement, and the other soldiers looked on; perplexed.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Classy." Coola responded.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He understood him?</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>I like him."</em></p>
<p>"<em>As do I, General."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Coola regarded him with an uncomfortable look… one of approval… which was usually followed by exploitation. It reminded him of the Grand Teacher and the cult and he didn't like it at all.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>But still…"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The tail swipe was swifter than he could follow, striking him in the face and sending him plummeting shoulder-first to the floor.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He'd definitely understood him…</em>
</p>
<p>'<em>Always watch the tail!' His uncle's words reverberated through his skull, as did the pain and the dizziness. His face throbbed and his vision blurred. First Sauza, then Bolo, and now Coola… these men were freakishly strong.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Consider that a mercy, Boy." Coola's voice, sterner, fogged into being. "Death is usually recompense for such insolence."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He wanted to stand again, to hide his pain, but dizziness claimed him and he could only roll onto his back. The emperor's entourage laughed, adding to his humiliation, and his cheeks reddened.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>I assume he's been kept in the holding cells thus far?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yes, Lord Coola."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Sauza's voice.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Have him moved to the East Wing." He began. "Get him some food and medical attention… and fetch someone to clean up that body."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yes Lord Coola."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Dismissed."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He found himself seized once again, and his head swam as they carried him.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Oh, and see that he's bathed and given a change of clothes. I could smell him from the hallway."</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Day Two</strong>
</p>
<p>The invitation had come a few hours after the council meeting, where they'd flatly refused his demand for an army.</p>
<p>He'd still been raging at his powerlessness in the face of those holographic bastards when his scouter had beeped with a brief, anonymous message. A pod with a pre-programmed set of coordinates.</p>
<p>Curiosity outweighed suspicion and they'd led this new pod to a stationary dreadnaught. One that didn't appear on any map he knew of and was larger than any ship he'd even seen.</p>
<p>And it belonged to executive Argo.</p>
<p>He was a short, white and powder blue rylo, with a pearlescent carapace that shimmered under the bay lights, and a matured face that suggested he had a few years on Lord Coola. More importantly, he directly oversaw the governance of 13 of the empire's 33 sectors. That alone distinguished him as one of the most powerful men in existence.</p>
<p>And the Chief didn't afford him any respect.</p>
<p>Still pissed off, he'd remained silent as the Executive had greeted him enthusiastically in the brightly-lit ship bay, instead choosing to assess the threat.</p>
<p>Argo dripped with authority and influence, with an easy smile that suggested a comfort that was ill-afforded to combat personnel.</p>
<p>He was donned in classic armour, similar to his uncle's, though it was polished to the kind of mirror-like shine that combat armour should never possess. A collectable, shinier than anything he'd ever seen, and it was adorned with a regal cape that flowed freely from the shoulder pads to his ankles.</p>
<p>Chief hated him immediately.</p>
<p>Strangest of all was this was all in his final form.</p>
<p>Rylo didn't wear clothes, armour or otherwise, in their final form, which suggested he was far from powerful.</p>
<p>Yet… he was alone, having dismissed his armed guard with a wave of his hand, suggesting absolute comfort.</p>
<p>Chief scowled, conspicuous with suspicion.</p>
<p>If he ever had to kill Argo, he could do it with no problem, but he had a feeling that the Executive specialised in a kind of warfare that he wasn't accustomed to.</p>
<p>His discomfort was only heightened as Argo appraised him from head to toe.</p>
<p>"Magnificence…" Argo breathed with a smile, voice rich and brassy despite his diminutive size.</p>
<p>Chief's eyes narrowed in suspicion as the Executives eyes roamed… <em>revealingly</em> over his body.</p>
<p>"Your armour." Argo clarified. "I designed it myself."</p>
<p>It was a black spandex-like material; armoured with flexible, contoured chest pads and abdominal plating, the latter of which shimmered like burnt silver under the bay lights. The shoulders were plated, like the abdominals, and glistened in the light as they sloped over the deltoids and flowed seamlessly into the rich, grey bicep padding and gloves.</p>
<p>The boots were the same shade, though the top-line cut curved up and over the calves and were accented with metal plating, and the point was tipped the same way.</p>
<p>"I had these manufactured on Lord Coola's command specifically for the Earth campaign." Argo continued. "It's been field-tested a few times but, I must say, it's wonderful to <em>finally</em> see it on someone worthy."</p>
<p>Argo's eyes drifted; examining the boots, the Unit Captain's tail, armour plated and hovering stiffly behind him, to his shoulders and torso.</p>
<p>Chief had discovered them in the space pod; an apparent gift for the young warrior… and his unit, as Argo enthusiastically told him.</p>
<p>"Tell me, do you like it? I wanted something comfortable, manoeuvrable, robust and thermally regulating." He rambled. "Not like those old, cumbersome uniforms Lord Frieza loved so much. The colour is quite dull though… as you can tell, I prefer the classic look-"</p>
<p>"I asked you for help." Chief cut in abruptly, voice weighted with grudge. "And you told me to fuck off."</p>
<p>"Well that's something of an exaggeration…" Argo protected. "And <em>they</em> denied you, not me. Kuri is the de-facto Chief Executive Councillor, what he says goes. While Lott is… <em>Lott</em>. <em>I</em> wanted to help you but-"</p>
<p>"So why didn't you?"</p>
<p>"Well-"</p>
<p>"Why are you helping me now?"</p>
<p>Argo paused, humoured.</p>
<p>"Would you believe I'm a fan?"</p>
<p>"Would you believe I'm not stupid?"</p>
<p>His response was met with jovial laughter.</p>
<p>"I actually would." Argo replied, far too comfortable. "I've known Lord Coola for many years; I doubt he'd place anyone other than his most competent and powerful soldier in charge of Unit 54."</p>
<p>The laughter died down… too much laughter. Too much comfort…</p>
<p>"Truly, I'm a fan of both your work and your strength… maybe even a little jealous… I understand your scepticism but-"</p>
<p>"Scepticism implies doubt. I've never had any doubts that you're a bunch of, spineless, conniving, shit-talking, two-faced cowards, whose only loyalty is to their pockets and their positions. That council meeting just confirmed it."</p>
<p>"Very forthright… I see why Lord Coola likes you so much."</p>
<p>"What the fuck do you want?"</p>
<p>"Straight to business it is." He clapped loudly, then clasped his hands together behind his back, as a smile spread across his face. "You're going to kill Executive Kuri."</p>
<p>A silent moment passed as Argo, brows now furrowed, watched the mild incredulity wash over the Unit Captain's face with unveiled scrutiny.</p>
<p>"That sounded like an order." Chief asked dangerously.</p>
<p>"More of a <em>forthright request</em>."</p>
<p>The Unit Captain's eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>"You know I could vaporise you where you stand?"</p>
<p>"As could most of our army." Argo chuckled. "Though I feel compelled to mention it was my resources that enabled us to track down your would-be kidnappers. I'd like to think your gratitude would prevent that."</p>
<p>"I don't take 'forthright requests' from anyone but Coola."</p>
<p>"Who is currently hundreds of light-years away… which leaves you obsolete for the duration, wouldn't it?" The Executives face was playful with challenge. "Seems like a terrible waste of talent for one so <em>strong</em> and so… <em>unquestionably loyal</em> to both to Lord Coola and our vision."</p>
<p>"What does a piece of shit like you know about vision?"</p>
<p>"Vision and ambition are what put me in my current position…" He responded, eyes drifting up in recollection. "I know that Lord Coola alone has the strength and will to change an ugly universe. And that the dream of an orderly galaxy, united under his rule, cannot happen without our investment and our governance."</p>
<p>"But mostly your investment, right? You're a parasite; a necessary evil… that's all."</p>
<p>"As are you, Saiyan." He punctuated. "Tell me, how many people have you slaughtered in your short life… thousands? Millions?"</p>
<p>"I can always add to that list…"</p>
<p>"I'm glad you're in the mood for blood." Argo smiled. "As for spineless, I currently stand alone with one of the most <em>powerful beings</em> in the <em>universe</em>, at my personal invitation, and with full knowledge that he despises me."</p>
<p>Chief felt a sliver of respect for the executive, though he was still filled with distrust.</p>
<p>"Everyone slips up once in a while." He tried to counter, and Argo smiled.</p>
<p>"Not me."</p>
<p>The shit-eating grin annoyed the Unit Captain more than anything, but the level of comfort Argo displayed around him was rare and went far beyond arrogance. It was rare.</p>
<p>Everyone respected and feared the young saiyan. It was only Coola or Bolo who were this familiar with him but, even then, a clear hierarchy was present. Even if underlying relationships had already been established, Bolo respected his power while he respected and deferred to Coola's.</p>
<p>Argo had neither with him, power or an accord, yet here he was, throwing caution to the wind and inviting a trained killer to his personal hangar.</p>
<p>It piqued the young saiyan's curiosity.</p>
<p>"Why do you want him dead?" He finally asked.</p>
<p>"I didn't imagine I'd have to convince a <em>saiyan</em> to kill someone standing in his way."</p>
<p>A hard glare was the saiyan's response.</p>
<p>"But fine. I have my reasons… ambition, competition-"</p>
<p>Curiosity gave way to anger.</p>
<p>It took less than a second to close the gap, seize the diminutive executive by the collar of his armour, and hoist him into the air. He refused to an errand boy for petty corporate ambitions.</p>
<p>"Maybe I should <em>eviscerate</em> you instead of vaporising you."</p>
<p>"But mostly…" Argo continued, un-phased "…because the empire depends on it."</p>
<p>"We've lost seven hundred planets and three-million soldiers to a galactic level threat. A million of those were in the last month alone, under the council's watch. Maybe I should just kill all three of you and save the husks the trouble."</p>
<p>The Executive tutted.</p>
<p>"Pessimism isn't good for someone so young." He replied, nonchalant. "Besides, if you kill all of us, what structure would remain within the organisation when we win?"</p>
<p>Chief's eyes dripped with malice as he glared at the unshaken rylo, before tossing him back to the floor.</p>
<p>His confidence in victory was too irresistible.</p>
<p>"Get to the point."</p>
<p>Argo, for his part, landed on his feet, albeit slightly wobbly. He <em>really </em>wasn't much a fighter.</p>
<p>"No doubt you've heard of Lord Coola's excursion to the Dusk corridor. He had a plan, one he shared with me and me alone."</p>
<p>"Why you?"</p>
<p>"Would you believe I was his mentor once upon a time?"</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>"He trusts me more than anyone else in his organisation." He replied. "Anyway, I won't bore you further with semantics but he successfully predicted the husk invasion paths and left to confront the threat directly."</p>
<p>So Chief had been right…</p>
<p>"Where did he go?" He demanded, swept with urgency.</p>
<p>"That information is contingent on your assistance. For now, what's important was his plan was incredibly risky so I counselled caution and patience. However, Kuri and Lott did not."</p>
<p>"If you're so close, why didn't he listen to you?"</p>
<p>"Desperation can make anyone irrational, even the rightful ruler of the galaxy."</p>
<p><em>That</em> was brazen.</p>
<p>"Desperation is for the weak." Chief countered. "Coola doesn't do desperate."</p>
<p>"So young, so naïve…" He admonished. "Regardless, Lord Coola is under no obligation to follow my advice; he did what he felt was necessary. Though, I have it on good authority that the husk threat may be far greater than anticipated-"</p>
<p>Chief's adrenaline spiked.</p>
<p>"Where is he? And what does Kuri have to do with any of this?"</p>
<p>"Nothing." He responded. "Yet everything."</p>
<p>"I'm only gonna warn you one more time to stop screwing with me."</p>
<p>"Then I'll keep it simple. He's a traitor." Argo stated. "Lord Coola instructed us to manage our sectors as best we can while he was away, that was more than a month ago, but Kuri has had itchy feet since the invasion began. My sources tell me that he has… <em>prematurely concluded</em> that Coola's extended departure is evidence of his demise and is planning to disappear into the night."</p>
<p>"What sources?"</p>
<p>"None of your business."</p>
<p>Chief grit his teeth.</p>
<p>"Then-"</p>
<p>"Why should you trust me?" Kuri interjected plainly. "You shouldn't. Not anyone, and never completely."</p>
<p>He spoke plainly, playfulness gone, as if admonishing a student.</p>
<p>"Instead, you should trust that a 'conniving, money-hungry executive' has a vested interest in the survival of this empire, the same way I trust in your loyalty and devotion to it… The same way I trust that treason is inexcusable to you, and if there's even the slightest possibility that a <em>governor</em> has betrayed us… someone with so much power, so much influence, so much <em>knowledge</em>… then it places all of this in danger of collapse. And you would never stand for it."</p>
<p>Silence hung heavily between them, drowning every conceivable recourse the young saiyan had.</p>
<p>"And there's no point in saving Lord Coola if our organisation collapses in his absence."</p>
<p>The vacuum conflicts swam to the forefront of his mind. The chaos comprised his earliest memories.</p>
<p>"You're sharp."</p>
<p>"Sharper than you. Because you could easily pass this on to Bolo while I rescue Coola."</p>
<p>"I don't trust Bolo." He continued bluntly. "His devotion is to Lord Coola alone; he hates us and would never tolerate working for me. I trust <em>you</em>."</p>
<p>Chief matched his look with an earnest one.</p>
<p>"But I <em>don't</em> trust you." He replied.</p>
<p>"But you <em>do</em> trust Lord Coola's judgement, correct? And that extends to those he places in command in his absence."</p>
<p>Chief froze, unable to answer.</p>
<p>"Help me secure the foundation of our empire, and I'll give you all you need to rescue its leader. Troops, ships, and coordinates."</p>
<p>They both stood silently, the elder watching the gears in the younger's mind turn.</p>
<p>"Tell me where to find him."</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Day Four</strong>
</p>
<p>Kuri fled the compound with a desperate speed that belied his age, data pack clutched desperately to his chest as a fierce wind ruffled his robe.</p>
<p>He could do nothing but spit vile curses as the tower exploded in a flash that shook the ground and lit up the skyline. That monstrous simian had come for him.</p>
<p>The plan was dead.</p>
<p>How Argo had found out about the meeting, or even find such an obscure planet, was beyond him. Either he'd been sloppy or the treacherous bastard was far more intelligent and resourceful than he'd given him credit for.</p>
<p>Even worse was the saiyan.</p>
<p>An army of mercenaries would've have been shocking enough, given the empire's crumbling state, or even an assassin. But Coola's pet chimp?</p>
<p>How in the hell had he managed to recruit him?</p>
<p>What had he offered him?</p>
<p>He didn't have time to speculate as he blew past the city limits and over the lush green plains. He just had to escape.</p>
<p>To get off the planet.</p>
<p>The plans had been burned to ash for now but he still had capital. The alliance may be dead for now but he still had resources; a ship, mercenaries, and a fortune to last several lifetimes, and the galaxy was incalculably huge. With literally endless time and empty space among the stars, he could no doubt find a place in which to disappear, far away from the chaos.</p>
<p>Retirement was an option if necessary. An inglorious end to his service, considering the lifetime of service, but, with the galaxy under siege, there was no better time and far worse ways to live out his days.</p>
<p>Coola, the ingrate, was no doubt dead and the empire was in ruins… Maybe when things had cooled off, he could re-establish contact with the Arcosians and they could re-assess their position. He still had the data and he was confident time would only appreciate its value.</p>
<p>All he had to do was make it.</p>
<p>The saiyan was nowhere to be seen and he could spot the escape pod in the distance; he just had to reach it and he'd be in orbit in a matter of seconds. Then no one could catch him.</p>
<p>He'd be free.</p>
<p>The hatch opened just as he landed.</p>
<p>All he had to do was get in and-.</p>
<p>The pod exploded in a shower of parts and smoke, cutting his musings short as the shockwave sent him tumbling onto his back. Only then, as he watched sparks, metal and glass rain down, did he realised how farcical his circumstances truly were.</p>
<p>And all he could do was laugh.</p>
<p>That was how the Chief found him when he landed; on his knees and laughing incredulously with a wrinkled fist beating at the earth.</p>
<p>Several long moments passed before he finally acknowledged him</p>
<p>"What did he offer you?" Kuri demanded, rising to his feet and reclaiming his dignity.</p>
<p>He locked eyes with the boy, utterly unafraid of his would-be killer despite the unmoving features and deathly attire of armour, dust and blood.</p>
<p>The boy responded with a stone face and silence.</p>
<p>"I suppose it wasn't hard to convince you, given how simple your kind are. Perhaps he told you I betrayed the empire? Betrayed Lord Coola?"</p>
<p>The response, again, was silence.</p>
<p>"There is no more empire, Boy… the writing was on the wall the moment planets started falling. Nothing could stop that."</p>
<p>Seemingly bored of the one-sided exchange, the young saiyan began walking towards him.</p>
<p>This was it… his end… after centuries of loyal service to the Kold family. Three generations served only to be humiliated by the dynasty's last surviving son… only to have vital sectors stripped from him and handed to that gutless coward, Argo. To suffer that indignity… yet still he'd remained loyal to the very end.</p>
<p>And now, now that he was free… fate had condemned him to die on a mundane rock in some far-flung corner of a crumbling empire. And at the filthy hands of a monkey, no less.</p>
<p>Still, unlike Argo, Kuri was a true rylo, and he would die like one.</p>
<p>"There's no more <em>Coola</em>…" He began, sinking low into his heels, as his hand glowed white and hot with energy. "And no more you!"</p>
<p>The ball exploded from his palm, traversing the small distance at blinding speed. But his confidence was short lived as the saiyan, with seemingly impossible reflexes, halted the fierce concentration of light and fury with a casual, adolescent palm.</p>
<p>His shock was compounded a heartbeat later when a thin red beam penetrated his solar plexus and sent him sailing to the ground.</p>
<p>Blood flecked from his mouth and splattered onto the grass, accompanied by the purple-stained data-pack he'd so desperately cradled. Coughs, hacks, and curses soon followed as the saiyan strode towards him.</p>
<p>As his life drained hot into the grassy soil, it took him a moment to realise that he couldn't move anything below his chest.</p>
<p>"Fool…"He hacked wetly, grimacing in agony, his mouth a grim mixture of saliva and blood. "You're a…<em> fool</em>…!Just a… s-stupid monkey! A… pawn in a b-bigger game!"</p>
<p>Chief paid him no mind, compounding the indignity by <em>ignoring</em> him entirely to retrieving the data-pack.</p>
<p>Still, Kuri pressed on regardless. This was no time for dignity.</p>
<p>"He j-just… wants the s-sectors." He stammered, shock settling in. "He… doesn't care about… a-about Coola or you… just hi-his own ends."</p>
<p>Data-pack secure, the young saiyan cast a long shadow as he loomed over the Executive; lip curled in disgust… and palm open and hot.</p>
<p>Kuri, ever defiant, shot him a rueful smile.</p>
<p>"Remember that… when it's y-your t-t-turn to die, S-Saiyan."</p>
<p>Then the boy's palm brightened and everything ceased to exist.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Day Three</strong>
</p>
<p>They'd arrived three days ahead of schedule, and the husk force had <em>still</em> beaten them there.</p>
<p>Vash had been furious, cursing up a storm as their pods had broken the planet's atmosphere. Mussul, by contrast, was infuriatingly calm and analytical as always; Dore had been excited, and Neiz was… Neiz.</p>
<p>Fortunately, the landing coordinates were in the heart of the jungle, more than a thousand miles from the aquatic life and the invading horde, but their unscheduled presence added an unwelcome urgency to the task.</p>
<p>The four black space-pods arrived from north, south, east, and west. They ploughed through the trees and vegetation and each settled approximately a mile shy of the Black Stars' compound. And Vash, acting commander, claimed her first victim within moments of landing.</p>
<p>The hatch hissed open and she blew from her seat, muscles swelled with weight, pine skin thickened with scales, and claws blackened and extended as beauty grew into beast.</p>
<p>The mercenary's face was stricken with terror moments before he was seized and his head was torn from his shoulders. His shocked comrade fired a panicked energy blast, which did little more than interrupt her feast.</p>
<p>Blood and meat dripped from powerful jaws as she turned to lock eyes with her new target, steam wafting harmlessly from a burnt silver shoulder plate. A second later, razor sharp claws tore through the mercenary's abdomen before he was tossed aside and left to die.</p>
<p>Two dead in a matter of seconds and she powered through the jungle towards the compound.</p>
<p>"Status report!"</p>
<p>Her roar crackled ferociously through the speaker, just as Mussul emerged from a tree like liquid behind three unsuspecting mercenaries.</p>
<p>"Approaching the compound now."</p>
<p>His voice caught their attention, then his blade snapped out and slipped seamlessly through the first's throat. The second swung a punch with earth-shattering force, but two fingers deflected it effortlessly before a soft palm dented his armour as his chest imploded. The third fired an energy blast at him, but the Ki-Lod's blade drank the ray of light.</p>
<p>"ETA two minutes." He concluded.</p>
<p>The mercenary fled, but not fast enough to escape his own blast. It burst from the blade, swam dextrously through the air to catch him, and reduced its maker to melted armour and crackling flesh.</p>
<p>"Good." Vash growled as a small force of stone-faced mercenaries came into view.</p>
<p>She launched herself at the first, absorbing his punch with a roar, before tearing the arm from his shoulder and caving in his skull.</p>
<p>"Neiz." She demanded.</p>
<p>"Hmm."</p>
<p>The response was clipped and baritone as the muscular amphibian toyed with his opponent, dodging three strikes with ease. His head sank between his shoulders to evade the fourth before his counter-attack killed him and the others behind him.</p>
<p>"Dore" Mussul's voice crackled through the speaker. "What is your location?"</p>
<p>There was no reply.</p>
<p>"Dore!" Vash demanded, again to no response. "Fucking asshole probably did us a favour and got himself killed!"</p>
<p>She swallowed a chunk of meat from the dead mercenary before fixing her eyes on the remaining group. They were terrified but resolute.</p>
<p>"Sorry to disappoint, ya ugly <em>bitch</em>." A thick, raspy voice bulldozed through the feed. "But Dore's <em>very much</em> alive!"</p>
<p>He compounded his point, snapping the neck of the mercenary in his grasp before tossing him into his comrades. An explosion followed, roasting them all, and Dore watched on with joyful laughter.</p>
<p>"I gotta say, I expected a lot more from these <em>Blue Suns</em>."</p>
<p>"<em>Black Stars</em>, dumbass!"</p>
<p>"Don't matter." He grinned. "Dead men don't need names."</p>
<p>A wave of energy erupted from his palm, vaporising four soldiers as well as a sizeable chunk of the jungle. Smoke billowed high into the air, lingering with the smell of vegetation, soil and prey, and drifting into Vash's hyper-sensitive nostrils.</p>
<p>Sirens blared through the jungle and her eyes narrowed as a deeply agitated sigh escaped her.</p>
<p>Vash <em>hated </em>this.</p>
<p>She hated the husks, she hated this shithole planet, she hated the makeshift team, but mostly she hated what had happened to her captain and the hopelessness she'd felt seeing him in that regeneration tank. Moreover, she hated the cowards who'd <em>dared</em> to try and kidnap him.</p>
<p>Who wouldn't have had the <em>balls</em> to face him if he'd been awake…</p>
<p>Heavy feet stomped fiercely over the jungle floor as she rocketed towards the compound, ploughing through the next group with bone-crushing force. She'd eaten her fill since landing on the planet, so she'd settle for physically dismantling her enemies instead.</p>
<p>The Black Stars.</p>
<p>They were the ones responsible for the kidnapping attempt, though there was no way they were the masterminds. She'd bet <em>anything</em> on that.</p>
<p>It was one of the few things she and Mussul agreed on.</p>
<p>Mercenary groups were like whores; they'd do nearly anything you wanted for the right price. The Black Stars were just a very special breed of whore; the highly skilled and experienced kind who'd go further than most others would go, but the nature of the transaction remained the same. As long as the fee was substantial, there were no questions asked.</p>
<p>That had been their first mistake. The second was failing to do their job.</p>
<p>She was determined to find out who'd paid the fee and why, and the answers she was looking for were at the heart of the compound.</p>
<p>A grizzled voice broke through the speaker, just as she pulled her arm from a mercenary's torso.</p>
<p>"Who's the target anyway?"</p>
<p>Are you <em>kidding </em>me!</p>
<p>"Did you even <em>read </em>the damned brief?!"</p>
<p>Dore scoffed.</p>
<p>"Lord Coola don't pay me to read." He declared, catching a fist, breaking the arm, and delivering a lethal counter. "He pays me to <em>fight</em>."</p>
<p>The sound of grinding teeth was audible through the speaker.</p>
<p>His lack of professionalism was <em>infuriating</em>.</p>
<p>If they didn't need the numbers… if he wasn't such a capable soldier… she would've killed the obnoxious bastard within hours of meeting him.</p>
<p>"Dore..." Vash began tersely. "If you kill our target… I swear to every god I can think of… you won't make it out of that base alive…"</p>
<p>His face broke into a smile.</p>
<p>"Don't threaten me with a good time, sugar."</p>
<p>"Believe me, that's a <em>promise</em>…"</p>
<p>"Pardon my interruption but I must remind you both that this planet is currently under siege." Mussul interjected. "Our timetable has accelerated tremendously."</p>
<p>He pounced on an unsuspecting mercenary below, his hand covering his mouth as the short blade sank into his shoulder. Then the knife glowed white, as did the mercenary's eyes, before the body quickly shrivelled and mummified.</p>
<p>"Perhaps we should remain focused?"</p>
<p>"Hmm." Neiz concurred.</p>
<p>He grunted with furrowed brows as the compound came into view; a fairly large, concrete block of a building in a small leafy clearing. It was deceptive simple but hid a network of tunnels that ran deep underground.</p>
<p>Vash thundered in from the east side a few moments later, her huge armoured frame stained in blood, soil and leaves. She shot a withering glare at Dore as he arrived at the adjacent clearing; winking at her with a grin on his face just as Mussul arrived from the west.</p>
<p>"Five minutes." The Ki-Lod stated, programming his scouter.</p>
<p>Vash nodded, staring balefully at the dull grey structure.</p>
<p>"We infiltrate, retrieve Yroh… and we <em>interrogate</em>."</p>
<p>And she'd <em>relish</em> it.</p>
<p>"How many mercs you reckon he's got down there?"</p>
<p>"Not enough." Vash responded. "Let's go."</p>
<p>Then they moved.</p>
<p>Mussul <em>melded</em> through the concrete, Vash and Dore ploughed through the walls, and Neiz followed as they descended into the base.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Day Seven</strong>
</p>
<p>The serenity of the void was desecrated as a fleet of black and white space pods tore silently towards the Dusk corridor.</p>
<p>Chief helmed the fleet, at the peak of the pyramid. Alone, with Bolo having retired to his bunk.</p>
<p>The Unit Captain watched the stars and blackness sail by from his cockpit; adorned in his armour and a picture of stoic focus as he sat at his self-made throne.</p>
<p>The Bastard. An extensive labour of love.</p>
<p>It was a modest vessel of a vintage class that predated its adolescent captain. It was a maverick choice of flagship for the adolescent saiyan; a salvaged wreck restored and heavily utilised in an age where the newest models were always favoured by the elite warriors of the galaxy. But it had sentimental value to him, considering who he'd seized it from.</p>
<p>In the years since, every inch of the ship had been restored by him personally… from its hull, its engines, and computer systems, to the navigation and auto-piloting, even the bunks in the quarters. The only parts that hadn't been were the new pods secured to the hull; those had been a gift from his new benefactor.</p>
<p>The engine hummed smoothly beneath his seat, quietly enough to be drowned out by his heartbeat and the adrenaline coursing through his veins.</p>
<p>The assassination had been a warm up but <em>this</em>… this was it.</p>
<p>After four months of incapacitation, <em>this</em> was <em>it</em>.</p>
<p>The radio chatter flowed deafly through the cockpit as his soldiers confirmed their statuses. The buzz only heightened his irritation, and his fingers contracted and dented the arm rest, but not as much as the holographic bust of the Executive.</p>
<p>His benefactor peered at him with a smug grin.</p>
<p>"What do you want?"</p>
<p>"Is that <em>any</em> way to greet a friend?"</p>
<p>His eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>"We're <em>not</em> friends."</p>
<p>"Considering the army and ships at your back, I'd say we're the very <em>best </em>of friends."</p>
<p>"We had an arrangement." Chief stated tersely. "I fulfilled my end of the bargain, you fulfilled yours. That's as far as it goes."</p>
<p>"That's pretty far, considering you threatened to kill me a week ago. And <em>on my own vessel</em> no less… I believe an apology is in order-"</p>
<p>"What. Do you. Want."</p>
<p>Argo sighed, frowning.</p>
<p>"I'm beginning to understand what Lord Coola sees in you; you're both equally stubborn." He began, voice tinged with irritation. "I wanted to wish you luck in your mission."</p>
<p>Chief peered searchingly at the executive, almost affronted… then to his fist, flexed and clenched tightly with power.</p>
<p>"I don't need luck."</p>
<p>"We all need luck, Captain, particularly when faced with a threat of this scale." Argo countered. "Nevertheless, I have every confidence in your ability to succeed."</p>
<p>"So do I."</p>
<p>"That being said… I've pre-programmed your pod with a set of emergency coordinates. Just in case things go wrong."</p>
<p>Chief scowled.</p>
<p>"Where'd all that confidence go?"</p>
<p>"It pays to be prepared for <em>every</em> eventuality."</p>
<p>It did, he could admit, and the punishment he'd endured at the base had exposed his mortality to no one more plainly than himself.</p>
<p>
  <em>'The kick sent him through the first plateau before the second stopped him completely… long, slicks streaks of blood stained the rock as he slid to the floor…'</em>
</p>
<p>He'd been outclassed.</p>
<p>Sure, he'd faced death a thousand times before but this had been <em>different</em>. This had been the first time in years, the first time since he'd attained this level of power, and it had taken a desperate, instinctual ascension to save him… but even then the creature had left its mark. Bolo had told him how shocked everyone had been at his condition, though he was under no illusions about 'affection' or 'concern' for his wellbeing. There was no room for sentiment in the ranks, given what they were trying to achieve.</p>
<p>No, this was about what he'd <em>represented</em>. Strength. Morale.</p>
<p>Their confidence had been rocked by his condition, and that had only been compounded when the casualties had mounted… but <em>no one's</em> confidence had been hit harder than his.</p>
<p>But no… he couldn't dwell on failure. He <em>refused</em> to.</p>
<p>He needed to be <em>strong</em>. He needed to be <em>useful.</em></p>
<p>"Success is the only <em>eventuality</em>." He stated sharply. There <em>was</em> no other option but success. "I won't need it."</p>
<p>Whatever he found at the end of the Dusk Corridor, whatever Coola was facing, they'd destroy it. Then they'd rebuild, reconquer, and their ultimate mission would be fulfilled.</p>
<p>The executive chuckled.</p>
<p>"Of course you won't." He stated, in a tone that was either subtle ridicule or admiration. "Still, better to have a tool and not need it than need it and not have it. And I <em>insist </em>that you have it… Friend."</p>
<p>The young saiyan could only glare, half tempted to jettison the programmed pod, as the Executive pressed on.</p>
<p>"Also, I believe further thanks are in order. That data pack you recovered was a welcome bonus; the contents painted a <em>very</em> revealing portrait of Lord Kuri's guilt."</p>
<p>The data pack.</p>
<p>Distrust bred curiosity, which tugged at the young saiyan. Kuri's admission aside, he'd been tempted to keep the data pack and decrypt it himself, just to understand the full extent of the old executive's betrayal. But he'd had neither time or resources.</p>
<p>As much as it grated at him, he had to trust Argo, or at least trust his motivations… though the information would've been helped him uncover more.</p>
<p>"Whatever." He replied. "Just make sure there's something left for us to come back to."</p>
<p>"The sectors are being consolidated as we speak."</p>
<p>Kuri's crippled corpse immediately sprung to mind, as well as shock-induced stammering.</p>
<p>
  <em>'He just wants the sectors…'</em>
</p>
<p>"Under <em>you</em>, right?"</p>
<p>"Correct." Argo responded, intrigued at his line of questioning. "And Lord Lott, of course."</p>
<p>"Until he steps out of line and you need me to kill him too."</p>
<p>Argo laughed.</p>
<p>"That <em>would</em> be the day… but Lott has neither the wits nor ambition. He's a passive servant; far too cautious to risk the wealth and prestige he's worked <em>so</em> hard and <em>so</em> long to attain."</p>
<p>"You sound <em>disappointed</em>…"</p>
<p>Regardless of Kuri's guilt, Argo's sudden dominance of their crumbling empire didn't sit well with him.</p>
<p>"I <em>am</em>." The rylo replied, meeting both the Unit Captain's gaze and veiled accusation unflinchingly. "Had he the ambition to compliment his intelligence, there's no telling how much of an asset he could be to <em>Lord Coola</em>." He emphasised. "But a competent servant will suffice for now; he'll do as he's told."</p>
<p>The openness surprised Chief, and he could only nod as he glared impotently at him.</p>
<p>He was like a puzzle he couldn't solve, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. The Unit Captain had no time to solve it; Coola was the priority, and he needed to speak to Bolo and finalise their plans.</p>
<p>As the signal began to crackle, he moved to sever the connection, before the Executive's voice stopped him.</p>
<p>"Oh, one more thing…" He began, this time his tone was grave and bereft of his usual playfulness. "May Beerus smile upon your sacrifice."</p>
<p>Chief's heart raced and his head snapped up at the revelation.</p>
<p>The cult…</p>
<p>For a long moment, the young saiyan and the hologram were frozen in a standoff under the dim lighting… The former poised to kill, and the latter, gaze penetrating, smirking in the reticent glow of his sudden power.</p>
<p>Then the Executive severed the signal, leaving the child alone with his demons.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Day Six</strong>
</p>
<p>King Kai watched on from the edge of his tiny planet, horrified at what he'd just witnessed.</p>
<p>Planet Ryli was gone.</p>
<p>
  <em>Gone.</em>
</p>
<p>"Goodness!" He proclaimed, antennae twitching in anxiety.</p>
<p>Bubbles, who'd been running aimlessly around the planet, promptly tripped over his feet and fell to the ground. Gregory had quickly flown over to help him up, oblivious to the Kai's turmoil.</p>
<p>He'd watched the husk invasion of the galaxy with restraint, filled with concern for the suffering of his charges, of course, but it had been far too small for him to interfere.</p>
<p>The cosmos had to be left alone to balance themselves wherever possible, and he'd been confident that this would be one such occurrence. They usually did.</p>
<p>But this was different… now that he <em>knew</em> what was responsible.</p>
<p>Ryli had housed arguably the strongest race in the galaxy and had birthed some of the most powerful tyrants in the universe… but even <em>they</em> had been no match for the monstrous machine.</p>
<p>They'd been doing <em>so well</em> destroying the husks, but they could do nothing against a planet eater.</p>
<p>King Kai's blue fists clenched tightly, his lips were pursed and trembling with worry, and his brows creased above his shades.</p>
<p>Worst still… Coola had been defeated… gone with the planet.</p>
<p>
  <em>Coola.</em>
</p>
<p>This was grave.</p>
<p>King Kai would shed no tears at the demise of such a monster, but his power had grown exponentially in the years since Frieza's demise. If that thing could wipe out a race as powerful as the <em>rylo</em>, <em>and</em> defeat a warrior as powerful as Coola, then the writing was on the wall for the rest of the galaxy.</p>
<p>This would not balance if left alone. King Kai had to act.</p>
<p>He had to warn Goku.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Hero</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>PART THREE</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Namek, Age 762</strong>
</p>
<p>Lightning streaked across the blackened sky as the rocky earth cracked and lava spewed from the ruined core. An agonised roar swept up from the planet's belly and echoed in the distance in an audible crescendo of thunder and violence.</p>
<p>Beneath it all, the rylo body lay ruined on the baked earth; an arm, legs, and a tail strewn about like sliced meat.</p>
<p>His own attack…</p>
<p>The pain was searing, as was his rage, as was the deep humiliation… both mixed and swam potently through all his sense and he yelled in surprise and agony.</p>
<p>It was his own attack…</p>
<p>This wasn't happening. Lord Frieza… defeated by a monkey?!</p>
<p>But it was.</p>
<p>The supreme ruler of the galaxy, the mightiest of the mighty, the most powerful being in the universe… No one would dare challenge him.</p>
<p>No one but <em>him</em>.</p>
<p>With the flaming white hair, golden aura, and those horrible, <em>horrible</em> eyes.</p>
<p>The super saiyan, with the power he'd so desperately feared.</p>
<p>The monkey. The filthy, inbred wretch whose species he'd thought extinguished… who now looked <em>down</em> upon him… upon <em>him</em>… the r<em>uler of the universe</em>.</p>
<p>The monkey from Earth, who'd travelled half way across the galaxy seemingly just for his torment.</p>
<p>The searing pain equalled Frieza's hatred.</p>
<p>He hated him more than anything in his entire life. More than his father, who sat in <em>his</em> rightful throne… more than his brother, who rivalled him for stewardship of the empire.</p>
<p>But the hatred paled in comparison to the fear… as his dreams and ambitions flowed a purple-red onto the hardened rock, and he was bludgeoned sharply with humility.</p>
<p>He grimaced and shook as a wave of pain washed over him.</p>
<p>"P… please…" He spluttered, his teeth and words splashed with terror and blood.</p>
<p>Humiliation flooded his being as rapidly as his organs had vacated it.</p>
<p>"<em>Please</em>…"</p>
<p>The words left him in again, this time in earnest as agony washed over him.</p>
<p>"Help… me…!"</p>
<p>He squinted blindly, tears flowing hot from his eyes as his mind was flooded with terrifying visions of divine judgement and oblivion.</p>
<p>He didn't know how but the saiyan… the <em>good</em> saiyan… he had to save him.</p>
<p>He <em>had </em>to!</p>
<p>"Help you…?" Came the incredulous response. "<em>You</em>?! After everything you've done?! After you killed my friends?!"</p>
<p>Pride and shame had abandoned the tyrant along with his motor functions, yet, with his mouth, he reached out desperately the way his arms now could not.</p>
<p>"H-Help… me…!" He begged earnestly, wilting under the saiyan's unrelenting glare.</p>
<p>But he knew the type… noble, just, and merciful. 'Righteous warriors' were an archetype he'd encountered a thousand times; they'd come from across the galaxy had all had been felled by his hand.</p>
<p>Saiyan or not, he wouldn't let him die… his conscience wouldn't allow it.</p>
<p>Death on a useless, insignificant rock? This wasn't the destiny of Lord Frieza.</p>
<p>He <em>couldn't</em> let him die.</p>
<p>He <em>couldn't</em>…</p>
<p>"I… b-beg you…" Blood splattered thick and dark with his consonants. "M-Mercy!"</p>
<p>He could hear the thud of his killer's footsteps.</p>
<p>"What about everyone you've killed… the millions you've slaughtered… all the Namekians…" The voice was stained sickeningly with heartbreak and disgust.</p>
<p>And… pity?</p>
<p>"Did you show them any mercy?"</p>
<p>An agonized wail was the only response Frieza could muster as he wept desperately into the dying earth.</p>
<p>"I'll… change!" He begged weakly, his grip on life slipping. "I… s-swear it…!"</p>
<p>Silence was the response.</p>
<p>"P… p… please…!"</p>
<p>His plea went unanswered.</p>
<p>"No… more… killing…"</p>
<p>Promises of redemption… the tyrant's final gambit, his desperate appeal… it hung in the necrotic air, desperate for a response.</p>
<p>But there was no more fury or impassioned lectures. The saiyan was silent. Contemplative. Battling his conscience, Frieza hoped.</p>
<p>But he had no <em>time</em> for contemplation; he was bleeding to death!</p>
<p>"Please…" He pressed, faith slipping, shivering despite the arid atmosphere. "J-Just… please…"</p>
<p>Frieza summoned what little energy he had left and craned his neck towards the saiyan, the only thing he could move… ready to deliver a last dying plea.</p>
<p>But the saiyan was nowhere to be found.</p>
<p>No…</p>
<p>He was gone.</p>
<p>Just lightning streaking across a blackened sky.</p>
<p>"No…" He spluttered desperately, choking on blood, as his vision became cloudy and dark.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>The Hero</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Earth, Age 773</strong>
</p>
<p>The gravity hall was a massive military structure and its vast expanses echoed with activity.</p>
<p>Explosions rattled the mile-high walls as six figures shot through its vast expanses, but the crystal white alloy endured, as was noted by the watching scientists.</p>
<p>The atmosphere was oppressive, shifting frequently from scorching heat to frigid cold to gale-force winds and back again… but for a warrior as seasoned as Prince Vegeta, the adversity was embraced with relish.</p>
<p>He grinned in the face of the heat, sweat pouring from his widow's peak as he rocketed through the expanses, eyes alert and senses acute as he scanned for shifts in the heavy air.</p>
<p>He was ready when the next attack came; neatly dodging the metallic fist, trapping the limb firmly underarm, and twirling behind the android with a grace that belied his infamous temperament.</p>
<p>Arm and shoulder separated in a shower of cables and sparks.</p>
<p>A flash of ki later, the chest was obliterated and the android crashed to the ground in a pile of metal and smoke.</p>
<p>The next android fared little better. Its swings were dodged with mocking ease before a head-butt smashed the visor. Still, it continued, unperturbed, bereft of sentience as it was, so there was only so much enjoyment the prince could draw from his superiority.</p>
<p>Head separated from plated torso a moment later, before a fist through the torso shut it down.</p>
<p>Pens found pads from the safety of the hall's observation deck as the scientists scribbled frantically and watched keenly on monitors and through the observation window. Watching brows furrowed as military officials and corporate representative exchanged glances and whispers.</p>
<p>None creased more deeply than Dr Gero's.</p>
<p>He watched on, brooding as yet another of his prized creations, the summation of what would be Earth's military might, fell in a ruined heap at the hands of the Saiyan Prince.</p>
<p>It was supposed to be a demonstration of Atlas' superior AI capabilities, and his brilliance by extension. The VIP crowd was small yet brimming with influence; packed with those prominent in the development of planetary defence. Developers and decision makers. However, the saiyan prince had transformed the event into a humiliatingly public display of ineptitude.</p>
<p>A lecture would inevitably follow, and there was no logical response he could provide that could assuage Bolivar's stubborn dissatisfaction. Results were all that mattered to him.</p>
<p>His head already throbbed in resignation at the coming indignity.</p>
<p>The military liaison in question, stern and war torn, stood next to the scientist.</p>
<p>He observed the proceedings with his right eye; an eyepatch sitting where the left should have been. The patch itself was framed by warped skin which stretched half was across a bald head. His left arm was also gone, just above the bicep, and burns covered forty-percent of his body, but both injuries were concealed by an immaculate black suit.</p>
<p>A cane supported every step but it made him no-less overbearing. He made for a sight that was no less grizzly than it was a demonstration of resilience.</p>
<p>His presence made the old scientist despise these demonstrations even more and yearned for the solitude of his lab.</p>
<p>"Back to the drawing board." Gero muttered, pre-empting the grizzled liaison.</p>
<p>Bolivar spared him a brief glance, cold an dissatisfied, before returning to the action.</p>
<p>"How many new starts is that now; three or four?"</p>
<p>Their tones were hushed, though the conversation was no less intense.</p>
<p>"Progress has been made…"</p>
<p>"'Progress?' Is that what you call it?"</p>
<p>"They excelled in the human trials; <em>none</em> of the ESF could keep up with them."</p>
<p>"We're fighting monsters, not people. See that scrap metal over there? There's your 'progress'."</p>
<p>The Doctor bristled.</p>
<p>"These machines lasted far longer than the previous generations." Gero argued weakly. "We knew the challenges..."</p>
<p>The saiyan prince tore through the now scorching hot hall, his face split by a malicious smile as the machines chased him. An exercise in futility.</p>
<p>"I know you guaranteed me an adequate defence force." The grizzled liaison countered. "Ten-billion spent in the last three years alone and the only thing you've managed to do is <em>entertain</em> that bastard."</p>
<p>The judgement was particularly scalding, rasping the liaison's voice and burning the impotently seething scientist. He had no response.</p>
<p>"The only reason Atlas have this contract is because of <em>you</em>, Doctor. I was led to believe you were the foremost robotics expert in the world."</p>
<p>Gero glared at him; affronted.</p>
<p>"I <em>am</em>."</p>
<p>"Then show me something <em>worthy</em> of our investment."</p>
<p>The rebuttal was at the tip of Gero's tongue… how the task he'd been given had been near impossible to begin with; how what they'd managed to achieve so far had been remarkable in and of itself… but all he could offer was a fading glare.</p>
<p>Then a bang caught their ears and snapped both heads up sharply.</p>
<p>A metallic body slammed against the chamber's heavily reinforced observation window. It would've taken nothing short of a missile to penetrate the glass, yet the impact made it rattle in strain.</p>
<p>A second bang followed, along with a spider web of cracks, as Vegeta caught the machine and pressed it against the unyielding barrier.</p>
<p>The end of the fight would have been quick had the saiyan prince not caught sight of granite veteran, Bolivar. Instead, a malicious smile spread across his face and his seizing hand began to glow.</p>
<p>The machine's dismantling was slow… first the legs were forcibly ejected in a puff of smoke, then the arms burst from the sockets, before then the chest cavity was hollowed to reveal an endoskeleton and cabling.</p>
<p>All the while, the saiyan prince locked eyes with the military liaison, and the liaison glared right back.</p>
<p>Finally, the head exploded, the machine twitched in malfunction, then descended to join the useless pile.</p>
<p>The show was over.</p>
<p>Bolivar watched as Vegeta spat on the floor with nothing but contempt for his challenge, before departing the great hall without a second glance.</p>
<p>"Six months."</p>
<p>Gero looked aghast, ready to protest, but the liaison's swift turn and a glare was enough to cut the words from his throat.</p>
<p>"Three million dead, four cities wiped from the map, and a million more wounded… and that was just <em>one</em> alien and a small invasion force. What's more, we have two super powered aliens roaming the planet with no checks, boundaries, or fail-safes should they decide to turn on us."</p>
<p>Gero wilted under the overbearing gaze, gritting his teeth as if to crush his broken promises.</p>
<p>"I don't need reminding of our position…"</p>
<p>"We live by grace, Doctor, and that's a position Sky will no longer tolerate."</p>
<p>The sudden presence of the liaison's assistant interrupted him.</p>
<p>Gero watched, indignant, as Bolivar turned away from him and converse with the young man in urgent tones. There were several seconds of drawn-out silence before Bolivar graced him with his attention once more.</p>
<p>"Six. Months." He reiterated. "If you don't produce something worthwhile for me, Wheelo will."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Instantaneous movement. Or "instant transmission" to the earthlings.</p>
<p>The ability to identify a source of living ki from any distance, to isolate the currents that connected the target to the universe, to <em>latch</em> one's own ki onto said current and ride it to the desired destination.</p>
<p>It was not as rudimentary as flying, which was pushing one's internal ki in a given direction, or as brutish as firing an energy blast, which was firing a gun and allowing nature to do the rest. It required far more finesse… far more <em>concentration</em>.</p>
<p>One didn't simply <em>control</em> the energy within but <em>manipulated </em>it to <em>interact </em>with the energy surrounding them… both passive and active energy.</p>
<p>The technique was the preserve of more ki-based beings; the Yardrat primarily, though the Ki-Lodi's had their own variations to a lesser degree. And it formed part of a collection of techniques known as 'spectral arts'.</p>
<p>When roughly translated at least.</p>
<p>To these races, ki manipulation was not something that required practice or intense disciple to learn, as it was to other cell based life forms, but was as natural as a child learning to walk or hold a cup. As such, the demands on their bodies were minimal.</p>
<p>For all other life forms, however, the energy demands were frankly otherworldly. Only those of a world-ending calibre of strength could even <em>attempt</em> to familiarise themselves with techniques a yardrati learned as a child.</p>
<p>To Modi's recollection, only one such being had mastered it. He knew because he'd been the one who had taught it to him, when he'd crash-landed on their planet years ago.</p>
<p>And that had only been <em>phase one</em> of the technique.</p>
<p>Today, Son Goku was under his tutelage once again. Learning phase two.</p>
<p>Modi stood and scrutinised him, as he had done for the past five months. The yardrat was a portrait of near-divine serenity; the saiyan, by contrast, a picture of… <em>tense</em> focus.</p>
<p>The silence was heavy as a gentle breeze swept across the lookout.</p>
<p>"Concentrate." The tutor instructed, but he could see the saiyan's spirit was out of synch with the lookout's stillness.</p>
<p>His anxiety spoke to Modi with subtle yet tangible waves of ki, which formed a thick and jagged layer just beneath the saiyan's skin.</p>
<p>A defensive spiritual posture.</p>
<p>That was to say nothing of the obvious physical markers; the tense and contracted traps, the subtle yet restless twitching of his quadriceps, his jaw clenched firmly, his fingers pressed tightly…</p>
<p>"Be <em>calm</em>, Goku." He admonished. "You know an abrasive ki is not conducive to optimum control."</p>
<p>"…Huh?"</p>
<p>Modi sighed. His vocabulary was atrocious.</p>
<p>"Just… relax."</p>
<p>Goku regarded him quizzically, a disconcerted frown on his face, before returning to his task with misplaced vigour.</p>
<p>Little changed but his posture; a superficial surrender to the yardrat's instruction that betrayed the weight on his spirit. Modi opened his mouth to critique again but the saiyan acted quicker.</p>
<p>His eyes snapped open, his fingers found his forehead, and his body phased from existence.</p>
<p>A pink palm found a bulbous forehead and fingers kneaded the rubbery flesh in frustration. The failed attempts were in the thousands now, and that was today alone. No doubt this would be at least a thousand-and-one.</p>
<p>A few seconds later, he materialised, Master Roshi's sunglasses hanging listlessly from his fingers as he collapsed to the floor.</p>
<p>"Dammit!"</p>
<p>Modi watched on, unmoved and unimpressed, as the saiyan's fist cracked the tiles and tremored the lookout.</p>
<p>The lookout whose serenity and cosmic flow he and Popo had worked so carefully to cultivate…</p>
<p>"We've gone over this a thousand times, Son Goku. Your energy must be <em>passive</em>."</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, I know." The saiyan panted, dusting off his gi as he rose to his feet. "'<em>Relax'</em>."</p>
<p>"To transmit oneself is to ride a wave blindly… but to access the second channel is to be conscious <em>throughout</em>."</p>
<p>"I <em>know</em>."</p>
<p>"You cannot react in time if-"</p>
<p>"I know!"</p>
<p>The anger was uncharacteristic. They locked eyes; Goku's a picture of misdirected frustration, the yardrat's firm with admonishment.</p>
<p>In the end, it was his student who relented.</p>
<p>"Sorry." He sighed, puffing harshly. "It's just-"</p>
<p>"I fear we will not make any progress today." Modi abruptly concluded.</p>
<p>Goku looked down at the floor, brows drawn in guilt… a pathetic display that made the yardrat frown in frustration, and he turned and strode away from the saiyan.</p>
<p>"Walk with me." He stated abruptly.</p>
<p>Goku blinked in confusion for a moment but followed.</p>
<p>Like a loyal dog…</p>
<p>Where was his fight? His conviction?</p>
<p>Modi suppressed his frustration as they toured the edge of the lookout, allowing the scenery to bathe them. The mountains skirted by colourful fields, the forests that stretched endlessly, the clear skies that decorated the horizon… the view blessed the godly domain from all sides.</p>
<p>"You know what's at stake, yes?" Modi queried, posture upright, arms clasped firmly behind his back.</p>
<p>He sensed Goku's nod by the tell-tale shifting of his ki, also noting the wistful manner in which he observed the view.</p>
<p>This planet's kind were incredibly transparent.</p>
<p>And confusing.</p>
<p>And annoying.</p>
<p>They'd already discussed this; dressed the spiritual wound, cast away the burden. At this point, the yardrat suspected this was pure masochism. Like a child picking at a scab.</p>
<p>Though that was unlikely, his student was not the self-indulgent kind. Quite the opposite actually.</p>
<p>"For some reason, you still have a tremendous weight on your spirit, Son Goku." He declared, a trace of impatience slipping into his tone. "What confuses me is why you still choose to carry it."</p>
<p>"It's not that simple." Goku stated. Then his expression melted into a forlorn look that grated Modi's nerves further. "I could've done more…"</p>
<p>"More what?" Modi enquired. "According to you, he was in pieces… bleeding to death as a result of <em>his own </em>attack, on a planet <em>he himself</em> destroyed."</p>
<p>"I still could've done… <em>something</em>."</p>
<p>The yardrat's laughter broke through the saiyan's forlorn musings.</p>
<p>"Such as? Perform surgery? Sew him together?"</p>
<p>"I don't know." Goku protested. "Carried him… given him energy."</p>
<p>Honestly<em>… only</em> Goku.</p>
<p><em>Only </em>Goku could defeat a genocidal tyrant yet <em>mourn</em> him. <em>Only </em>Goku, so good and so righteous, and so powerful, could be so unaccepting and unforgiving of his own warrior's instincts.</p>
<p>"But you didn't save him." Modi stated. "And the galaxy is better for it."</p>
<p>Goku said nothing, drinking in the scenery with a hole-filled glass.</p>
<p>"With his pride… with that energy… he would have either attacked you or fled." He began. "However, what is indisputable is that he would have continued to kill. Possibly even more prolifically, given his wounded ego."</p>
<p>"You don't know that."</p>
<p>"I would wager my <em>children</em> on it."</p>
<p>Goku shook his head passionately, as if his very soul rejected the yardrat's philosophy.</p>
<p>"Anyone can change." He stated firmly. "<em>Anyone</em>… and I robbed him of that chance. I let my anger get the best of me."</p>
<p>The yardrat scoffed.</p>
<p><em>S</em>o arrogant… so self-righteous…</p>
<p>"That wasn't 'anger'." Modi stated firmly. "Such an insufficient word to describe the judgement of a vile creature… That was <em>righteous vengeance</em>."</p>
<p>He turned to face his student, gazing sternly, as if willing the saiyan's soul to piece itself together.</p>
<p>"Stop punishing yourself, Son Goku…" The dictatorial tone was softened, as if to match the saiyan's melancholy. "You've done that enough and for people far more deserving of sympathy. Kami, Goh-"</p>
<p>The abrupt flaring of Goku's ki mildly startled the yardrat, unconscious as it was.</p>
<p>"I… I made my peace with it."</p>
<p>"Have you?" Modi questioned, unconvinced. "Or did you just find a way to cope?"</p>
<p>The yardrat watched the gears turn in the saiyan's head, though his eventual silence said everything.</p>
<p>He stepped past the saiyan, shaking his head in irritated bemusement.</p>
<p>"I didn't have a choice…"</p>
<p>"Your kind specialise in avoidance."</p>
<p>"I have to be there for Chi-Chi, the planet, my friends…"</p>
<p>"Distractions."</p>
<p>"I can't lose anyone else!"</p>
<p>A sudden mournful silence to hover over their interaction; Goku glared at Modi and Modi studied him right back.</p>
<p>Then sighed.</p>
<p>"I don't care how powerful you are, Son Goku." He stated, selecting his words carefully. "There is not a force in the universe that could have prevented Kami's death."</p>
<p>The saiyan said nothing as his eyes turned locked on the horizon.</p>
<p>"As for protecting the planet…" The yardrat continued. "Anger may have been enough to defeat King Kold, but you've yet to even <em>engage</em> this World Eater and it's already proving to be your downfall."</p>
<p>The peacefulness of the lookout belied both the scale of the task at hand and the intensity of their exchange.</p>
<p>Then Goku's stomach growled.</p>
<p>Mori sighed.</p>
<p>Predictable.</p>
<p>"Training is over for today." He declared, turning toward the white building.</p>
<p>Ki manipulation at such an intricate level required calm, focus and spiritual peace, none of which Goku had at this moment in time. Coupled with the sixteen hours for which they'd already been training, the saiyan was in no fit state to continue.</p>
<p>Tapped out physically and spiritually.</p>
<p>"Popo will prepare something for you to eat." He continued. "In the meantime, <em>meditate</em> on our conversation, Son Goku."</p>
<p>Popo wouldn't need to.</p>
<p>Goku was gone before Mori had finished his sentence.</p>
<hr/>
<p>He hadn't waited for his debrief before departing; the protests of the officials falling on deaf ears.</p>
<p>Some nameless plebe had pleaded after him, her eyes big and blue as she'd twittered mindlessly for his thoughts on the walking toasters he'd just dismantled and the performance of the new gravity hall.</p>
<p>The droids were strong by human standards, which meant little to him. Serviceable enough perhaps for some military force.</p>
<p>As for the gravity hall… he'd provided the schematics to build the damned thing. <em>Of course</em> it was serviceable, and he'd known it would be; the years spent living at Capsule Corporation had taught him all he'd needed to know about human ingenuity.</p>
<p>It was a shame… had they even the barest trace of imperialistic ambition, they'd be a formidable adversary for the middling powers of the galaxy. Or perhaps a valued vassal for a more powerful race.</p>
<p>Alas, that potential was wasted on frivolity.</p>
<p>He hadn't answered the meek bootlicker's question immediately. Instead he allowed it to hang awkwardly in the air while casting an undressing eye over her body.</p>
<p>Slender and modest beneath the business suit, with fair skin and red hair to compliment.</p>
<p>"Serviceable." He'd stated with abrupt ambiguity, eyes drifting from her tits to her face.</p>
<p>Then he'd taken off in a gust of wind that'd knocked the bitch on her ass and sent her note pad cracking to the floor.</p>
<p>He'd smirked at that.</p>
<p>He soared over the vast, barren desert, richly tanned skin soaking the sun and solitude. However, on this occasion, the usual serenity eluded him, replaced instead with restlessness.</p>
<p>The fleeting rush of his superiority had dissipated, along with the satisfaction of humiliating that overly-important Bolivar. Along with his tolerance for military and corporate company; white halls, science labs, the scribbling of pens, the tapping of pads, and the maddeningly rigid <em>protocol</em> of it all.</p>
<p>Patience for that had worn particularly thin in the last few months, ever since he'd learned about the coming threat.</p>
<p>Now these demonstrations and tests were an interference to his training that he would no longer tolerate.</p>
<p>Over the years, what had begun as a simple exchange of information had gradually evolved.</p>
<p>First it had been his knowledge they'd needed; planets, species, and galactic hegemonies. Then it had been planetary defence. Then it had been technology, or what little he'd bothered to retain from his days under Frieza's rule. Then it had been his assistance in developing said technology and innovations of their own.</p>
<p>Vegeta was no scientist, of course. During his home planet's heyday, such tasks were delegated to races with the appropriate proclivities. Indeed the gravity hall designs had been procured from Capsule Corporation, much to the <em>woman's</em> chagrin. However, despite his lack of expertise, he had retained some rudimentary understanding of scouter, regeneration tank, and space pod functionality. Among other things.</p>
<p>Vegeta was no scientist but he alone had the field experience to test the technology the humans had developed; the suits, the gravity hall, the regeneration tanks… everything. And his compensation had been sufficiently generous to reflect it.</p>
<p>This planet had been in <em>desperate</em> need of that kind of knowledge.</p>
<p>Hell, had they had <em>any</em> kind of knowledge of the vast galactic ocean in which they swam, King Kold's forces may not have been able to invade so easily. A pity it had taken three million deaths for them to realise the true precarity of their position.</p>
<p>Maybe if Nappa had blown up a few more cities, who knows how much more they'd have accomplished by now. Then again, the destruction of a city should have been warning enough.</p>
<p>"Bastards." He muttered.</p>
<p>Kakarot or no Kakarot, the complacency of this planet was simply awe-inspiring. It would be amusing had his son not lived here.</p>
<p>The humans really did need him, he'd <em>never </em>failed to remind them of that… and part of him revelled in a superiority that life on this planet had so often denied him.</p>
<p>As his flight took him to the edge of the desert, he caught the approaching sunset on the horizon and his nerves bristled with irritation at the wasted hours. Not even the whipping wind or the secluded ocean of desert and forest beneath him were enough to sooth the irritation. Instead his mind laboured under the weight of circumstance.</p>
<p>The World Eater and the fight that was to come, which filled him with an excitement he hadn't felt in <em>years</em>.</p>
<p>The gap in power between Kakarot and himself, which had been a weight under which his psyche had laboured for so long now that he'd forgotten what it was like to live without a rival.</p>
<p>The limited opportunity to train today.</p>
<p>He growled in frustration, accelerating further.</p>
<p>His descent was rapid as he came over the ocean, arcing his flight until a large island came into view.</p>
<p>It was a rocky landmass; vast and bereft of the headache-inducing colour and 'decorative' plant life the weaklings of this planet loved so much. Instead there was patchy woodland and mountains, fields of cattle and farmland tended by machines, and habitats housing dangerous predators.</p>
<p>The necessities.</p>
<p>As he drifted overhead, one such blood-thirsty beast sprung its riverside trap; leaping from the water, seizing her prey as he lapped clueless at the water, and dragging it into the river in a crescendo of futile struggles and reddening water.</p>
<p>A kingdom of strength and simplicity.</p>
<p>His descent planted him in the middle of a rocky plain populated by large reptilian monsters and giant mammalian beasts. Yet he strolled past them all, unmolested, all of them cowering as he made his way towards the main compound.</p>
<p>It was situated at the far corner of the island, sitting proudly atop a mountain skirted by forests and farmland. At its very heart sat a large round building, its outward simplicity belying its inward sophistication.</p>
<p>A seat from which to rule.</p>
<p>He paused his walk again, watching keenly as snake seized an unsuspecting field rodent and smothered it into cardiac arrest. Then later, on his walk through the forest, keen ears caught the distinct chirping of a bird swooping down to claim a group of helpless chicks from their nest.</p>
<p>A truth he'd seen play out on countless worlds.</p>
<p>The entire island had been a 'gift', after Kold's botched invasion… part of his compensation for making this measly planet something other than a fattened calf for the predators of the universe to feast upon.</p>
<p>The gift included regular provisions of food, armour and equipment too, and generous funds, used on the rare occasions he ventured out into this strange world.</p>
<p>Royalty if not in name then definitely in means, at least as far as this planet was concerned. It was modest compared to a galactic hegemony but it would do.</p>
<p>Fitting for the heir of a dead dynasty. Or near dead… his son drifting to mind.</p>
<p>All of it had been a necessity, one he'd demanded in order to escape the woman's weakening influence… to recapture the solitude that had made him strong.</p>
<p>He'd promised himself he would never again suffer the humiliation he'd endured against King Kold… to be both <em>rescued</em> by that low-class wretch, then watch wounded from the side-lines with his pathetic acquaintances as he dismantled the beastly rylo… the indignity had almost been too much to endure.</p>
<p>Seven long years and the embarrassment still stained his honour as thoroughly as it had on that fateful day.</p>
<p>And Kakarot was only getting stronger, his very presence casting a long shadow over Vegeta's hard fought strength the way the twilight-stricken mountains blanketed the islands in oppressive shade.</p>
<p>The island that was a gift for his… <em>servitude</em> to a species that was beneath him… who he'd have wiped out had it not been for that low-class wretch.</p>
<p>His fist clenched, anger slowly flooding his senses.</p>
<p>But it was quickly tempered when he noticed it… the flickering power level approaching the planet.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"How are we looking?"</p>
<p>King Kai's spirit touched his mind as he strode through the grand library.</p>
<p>"The outlook is bleak." He finally responded.</p>
<p>"Modi!"</p>
<p>"Don't 'Modi' me, Kai… I'm doing all I can."</p>
<p>"It's been three months! I need a more positive prognosis!"</p>
<p>"I knew this would be challenging but... not to this extent… I'm unaccustomed to dealing with hormonally-driven psychologies." He stressed, nostrils flaring. "The Yardrati <em>mend</em> their ki when it's ill-functioning but the people on this planet are so focused on <em>avoidance</em>… There is only so much I can do when he refuses to confront his deficiencies."</p>
<p>"You promised me this was in hand! We're running out of time!"</p>
<p>"I didn't expect this from someone like Son Goku."</p>
<p>King Kai could only frown.</p>
<p>"How many planets so far?"</p>
<p>King Kai was mournfully silent.</p>
<p>"Three… and it's getting stronger with each one."</p>
<p>Modi bowed his head, eyes closing in genuine condolence.</p>
<p>"How long do we have?"</p>
<p>The tension was palpable in the elder Kai's breaths.</p>
<p>"Based on your prognosis… not enough. If we engage it now, they'll be too weak to fight it; but if we keep waiting…"</p>
<p>"I'm doing all I can."</p>
<p>"You don't know what it's like to watch billions of lives extinguished a planet at a time… each one in such quick succession… with no end in sight… To hear their souls cry out futilely for a saviour…"</p>
<p>The unfinished sentence hung like a tremendous weight.</p>
<p>"I won't pretend to comprehend it." The yardrat responded, and he meant it.</p>
<p>Taking responsibility of a planet, several billion souls, was challenging enough even in the interim. He couldn't imagine handling an entire universal quadrant.</p>
<p>"You won't have to pretend if you don't do <em>more</em>." Kai countered. "Train Vegeta!"</p>
<p>Modi scoffed. He'd never encountered a deity so emotionally reactive.</p>
<p>"I'd sooner sever my arm before I train that… <em>miscreant</em>."</p>
<p>King Kai had never encountered a Guardian so stubbornly disaffected.</p>
<p>"The galaxy is at stake!"</p>
<p>"And it will be in yet <em>more</em> danger if I assist a murderous cretin like Vegeta in surpassing my student. It would be grossly irresponsible."</p>
<p>King Kai could only groan in deep frustration.</p>
<p>"Besides, it wouldn't do any good. I teach technical refinement, not strength, the latter of which Vegeta has well in hand. Though, if this machine is as powerful as you say, no amount of training will ever be sufficient for the saiyans to catch it, much less <em>surpass</em> it."</p>
<p>King Kai seethed with silent desperation.</p>
<p>"We need to level the playing field." The Guardian continued. "Our only hope is Son Goku."</p>
<p>"I understand your hesitation but Vegeta isn't the man you think he is." King Kai protested, exasperated. "Please… I <em>implore</em> you… teach him whatever you can."</p>
<p>Modi sighed, though he was defiant in his judgment.</p>
<p>"The miscreant has neither the foundation nor the appropriate mind-set for the spectral arts." He finally declared. "There's no guarantee he could even <em>learn</em> them. Teaching Goku instantaneous movement was challenging enough, and that's without mentioning his years of practice since."</p>
<p>King Kai was incredulous at his ward's stubbornness.</p>
<p>"You're underestimating Vegeta."</p>
<p>"I apologise, Kai, but you placed me in charge of this planet and its people in the interim. I would be remiss in my duties if I taught anyone I perceived to have nefarious intentions."</p>
<p>King Kai quivered in anger.</p>
<p>"At the rate at which things are moving, power may be the only thing we have to rely upon." Modi sighed. "But it won't be enough. Even throwing two Super Saiyans at this creature would be near ineffectual."</p>
<p>The elder Kai was momentarily silent, though Modi could detect the subtle contemplation through their spirit feed.</p>
<p>Then a momentary gasp.</p>
<p>"Kai…?" He enquired.</p>
<p>"…What if there were three…?"</p>
<p>Modi's eyes narrowed in curiosity.</p>
<p>"What are you talking about?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was 19:08 when the systems had detected the UFO's approach.</p>
<p>Standard defence protocols had followed.</p>
<p>The first step had been to establish contact but their calls had gone unheeded. Then, at 19:10, they had their first clear picture of the vessel… a space pod.</p>
<p>This was not a drill.</p>
<p>The prince's intel was clear; that ships were for diplomacy but pods were for conflict, and urgency had swept among command and the rank and file.</p>
<p>A squad of thirty ESF soldiers had been placed on standby in case plans A and B failed.</p>
<p>Plan A was to blow the object from orbit, as no creature could survive the depths of space, but its approach had been far too quick for their targeting systems.</p>
<p>The vessel broke the atmosphere at 19:15.</p>
<p>Plan B had been to intercept it; engage the air force and blow it from the sky, but speed had again proved to be an issue. None of their aircraft could mobilise that quickly, much less match its flight speed.</p>
<p>That left plan C; terrestrial engagement.</p>
<p>The least desirable scenario given the civilian risk.</p>
<p>The pod came in at a shallow angle, burning hot as it streaked a faint white across the evening sky, before decelerating to a safe landing speed and settling in an empty field a thousand miles shy of Mount Paozu.</p>
<p>Minimal civilian presence.</p>
<p>By 19:22, the ESF soldiers were on site; armoured, powered up, surrounding the ship cautiously, and tense with anticipation.</p>
<p>Mobile lights illuminated the pod from all sides and military surveillance captured everything.</p>
<p>Most of the soldiers were in their mid-twenties or younger; rookies, if that, when King Kold and his troops had invaded.</p>
<p>Others were old enough to have served as front line response after he'd annihilated the first city. However, all of them were old enough to remember the horrors of that day, and were suitably fraught with tension.</p>
<p>But not Captain Krillin.</p>
<p>He took point, clad in the standard navy blue ESF uniform, and approached the vessel with cautious determination. Nothing weak <em>ever</em> came from a space pod, whether it was the saiyans or… whatever the Ginyu force were. But years of adventures with Goku had prepared him for situations like this. In fact, his experience was the very reason why Sky had recruited him.</p>
<p>His face was steely, with a look of determination that belied raking nerves, a fluttering stomach, and treacherous idle thoughts. The latter filled his head with questions, wondering where Goku was, or even Vegeta, and why they hadn't sensed the energy…</p>
<p>But the apprehension was tempered by courage. <em>He</em> was here and he was the strongest Earth had to offer right now.</p>
<p>You got this, Krillin. You got this…</p>
<p>"This is Krillin Chestnut of the Earth Special Forces!" He declared. "Identify yourself!"</p>
<p>Steam wafted silently from the pod and fogged eerily against the late-evening sky. The prolonged silence only served to heighten tensions among the soldiers, but the ESF captain refused to let it phase him. His superiors were watching, his best soldiers were watching, and the world may be depending on it. If he could stand up to Frieza, he could face this.</p>
<p>Hopefully without dying this time…</p>
<p>"Identify yourself or we <em>will</em> open fire!"</p>
<p>The deafening silence continued, palpable and contagious, from the darkened plain to the control room packed with military brass.</p>
<p>Krillin could feel the tell-tale tingling of power striking his senses as the watching soldiers, tense with inactivity, raised their power levels to make good on their threat.</p>
<p>Then a sharp hiss filled the air.</p>
<p>The hatch eased open… allowing the sharp aroma of antiseptic sweetness to pierce the air before a small wave of translucent green fluid flowed from the pod and flooded the grassy soil.</p>
<p>It was an old smell but he recognised it immediately.</p>
<p>"Regeneration fluid…?"</p>
<p>He hadn't smelled <em>that </em>since Namek.</p>
<p>Radio chatter caught his attention.</p>
<p>"Krillin to Command, whatever's in there, it could be hurt."</p>
<p>They watched as the hatch descended, almost in slow motion, jettisoning all its contents until all that was left was camouflaging steam.</p>
<p>Then a body slumped and swam with the last of the wave, riding the green fluid listlessly until it settled face down on the grass a few short yards from the warrior's feet.</p>
<p>Lifeless.</p>
<p>Was it dead?</p>
<p>No… he could still feel a trace of energy. Small and serene enough to calm his nerves slightly but notable enough to keep him on his toes.</p>
<p>"Approaching target now." He whispered.</p>
<p>Whoever he was, he was small, at least compared to everyone else he knew… barely 5'5" if that, extremely underwhelming as far as genocidal threats go. But then Vegeta was the same height and Frieza was even shorter, so he remained cautious as he stepped towards the target…</p>
<p>Boots tapping wetly against the thin layer of mud and grass.</p>
<p>Then he caught sight of the sopping brown tail resting flatly between his legs…</p>
<p>"Holy crap!"</p>
<p>His yell only added to the group's disconcertion.</p>
<p>More chatter from his radio.</p>
<p>"Uh… s-sorry." He composed himself. "Target appears to be… <em>saiyan</em>."</p>
<p>He thought Goku and Vegeta were the last ones…</p>
<p>A padded boot tip delicately rolled the creature onto its back… and caution was immediately tempered by both shock and concern.</p>
<p>He was a child, around fourteen years old, with a tanned face and an upper body resting on a blanket of soaking black hair.</p>
<p>A saiyan that young should've been <em>impossible</em>… weren't they wiped out thirty five years ago?</p>
<p>But here it was.</p>
<p>Then a dormant thought flashed through his mind and his eyes widened.</p>
<p>"It can't be…" He muttered in shock.</p>
<p>But no… he couldn't make any assumptions. He couldn't put his best friend through that until he knew for sure…</p>
<p>Focus on the mission… Focus on the <em>mission</em>…</p>
<p>Whoever the kid was, he looked beaten up. A quick scan of his face found a collection of half healed cuts and scuffs with a thin patch of purple framing his right eye and an old burn skirting his left. He hadn't been in the tank long enough to fully heal. His armour was black; dulled, dented and cracked, with missing plates and torn fabric.</p>
<p>Then there was the blood… flecked, sprayed and dried over his attire.</p>
<p>And Krillin was filled with alarm.</p>
<p>He'd seen action, and recently too.</p>
<p>Was <em>that</em> how he ended up here? Had he been running?</p>
<p>If so… from <em>what</em>?</p>
<p>A grimace and faint groan interrupted his thoughts, then a soft breath… then a cough as the young saiyan's head rolled listlessly from one side to the other.</p>
<p>"Medic!" Krillin heard himself yell.</p>
<p>Confused chatter entered his receiver but he knew what he was doing. If he was hurt, they could take him alive.</p>
<p>Krillin's yell had been enough to stir the boy as his eyes eased open, bleary and unseeing and squinting. A harsher cough escaped him, hacking a puddle of regenerative fluid into the soaking earth, and he rolled soppily onto his side with a groan.</p>
<p>"Medic!" He yelled again.</p>
<p>Krillin didn't get his medic. Instead, the saiyan's sudden motion and the spike in his life force served to push an already tense group of soldiers into full combat readiness. He could already sense their power levels rising behind him, restrained yet fully prepared to deliver a fatal blow.</p>
<p>Crap!</p>
<p>"Stand down!"</p>
<p>The kid was weak; they could take him in alive, but charging energy had a way of spiking your adrenaline levels, especially when confronted with the kind of threat you'd never faced… especially after the last invasion… And group of inexperienced soldiers in fight-or-flight mode against a saiyan temperament.</p>
<p>He had to take control. Or this could get ugly.</p>
<p>But a young voice caught his attention.</p>
<p>"Wha… where…?" The boy appealed vacantly, voice croaky and sluggish with an innocence that sharply contrasted his battle-scarred appearance.</p>
<p>Then bleary eyes squinted against the harsh light, an arm flew up to shield them from the intrusive brightness, and the saiyan stumbled up suddenly and found a knee.</p>
<p>Double crap!</p>
<p>Precaution forced Krillin to back away as the bemused saiyan boy tried to find his scattered bearings.</p>
<p>"Stand down! I repeat, stand down!"</p>
<p>Too late.</p>
<p>An alarmingly rapid spike in energy caught Krillin's attention and the saiyan kid, now having found his feet, caught sight of the friendly entourage that had greeted him… and his breathing accelerated.</p>
<p>He was spooked.</p>
<p>"Shit…"</p>
<p>Krillin barely had the time to take a defensive stance before all hell broke loose.</p>
<p>He turned back to the kid, just in time to catch a back fist to the jaw. The sharp blow sent him skidding hard against the muddied earth.</p>
<p>That was the trigger.</p>
<p>A crescendo of war cries followed as the once peaceful plain was flooded with the light of two-dozen energy blasts. Then an explosion rang his ears, blowing him back and sending him sailing through the air.</p>
<p>It had escalated.</p>
<p>The whistle of beams and rumbling of explosions filled the evening air as the soldiers laid waste to the target and everything surrounding it.</p>
<p>"Cease fire! Cease fire!"</p>
<p>They didn't hear him, and he couldn't hear his radio. Lost in the chaos.</p>
<p>"Dammit…"</p>
<p>The orchestra of violence continued for what felt like an eternity until the adrenaline abated and the war cries slowed.</p>
<p>"Son of a-!" Krillin coughed, raising himself to his feet.</p>
<p>Misty eyes squinting, he regained his vision just in time to catch the curtain call. The light dissipated, smoke and dust thickly fogged the scenery, and the plain was smothered in anxiety-filled silence.</p>
<p>Krillin stood still, lead stomach rooting him to the spot, wiping the trail of blood from his lip as a horrific sense of foreboding flooded his senses.</p>
<p>They'd just tried to kill the kid… but they'd probably failed.</p>
<p>And if they hadn't killed the kid… the <em>saiyan</em> kid… the <em>saiyan</em> kid with that <em>scary</em> spike in power…</p>
<p>Then…</p>
<p>He had no time to wonder. By the time the <em>malicious</em> spike in energy registered, it was too late.</p>
<p>"Watch out!"</p>
<p>The warning fell on deaf ears. The kid's war cry was shrill and deafening, filling the night air with murderous intent, and the results were spectacular.</p>
<p>The fog immediately <em>burst</em>, the shockwave churned the earth with roaring speed as it barrelled towards the hapless soldiers, then it connected with a concussive bang that shook the earth and sent the bodies sailing.</p>
<p>Grass and soil hardened as they were torn from the ground, trees shifted and cracked before collapsing beneath the strain, and cries of surprise and pain filled the air.</p>
<p>The bodies were swept like rain in a hurricane as they scattered among the flowers and grass. Krillin didn't get a chance to process anything before the counter-attack came. He'd barely caught a glimpse of the broken or unconscious soldiers before he felt that same frightening flame or ki streaking towards him like lightening.</p>
<p>His eyes went wide, his hair stood on end, and his arms instinctively shot up before what could only be described as a <em>sledgehammer</em> struck them with vengeance.</p>
<p>The bang echoed for a mile, sending the tiny captain soaring back for what felt like an eternity… bouncing end over end with a cry on his lips before a firm hand slowed his momentum and a strong core straightened and righted him. Just in time to block the next blow… and the next… and the next… Each increasing in power and knocking him further and further away from ground zero. Each increasing with ferocity as the saiyan roared with feral rage, and each pushing his arms closer and closer to breaking point.</p>
<p>Krillin was in survival mode with no time to counter. He barely had time to duck as the next blow missed him by a whisker, before he darted away from the follow-up.</p>
<p>The arm sank into the earth like a drill and reverberated in the surrounding earth.</p>
<p>The kid's speed was <em>crazy</em>! He could barely <em>see </em>those attacks!</p>
<p>Then the kid turned to him, eyes burning with fury, and Krillin's stomach tightened with fear…</p>
<p>Shit!</p>
<p>Seconds later, the earth rumbled and smoked, the fist burst from it glowing, in a hail of burnt soil, before a beam erupted from the palm and connected at point blank range.</p>
<p>His power was crazy too…</p>
<p>A split second was all Krillin had to shield himself yet the wave of hot red energy <em>still</em> sent him ricocheting; smoking, wild, and blistering the air with his speed. Then the saiyan was above him, aflame with crimson energy as he cut through the air towards him, before grabbing the captain's face and ploughing his head into the earth.</p>
<p>They soared across the field and Krillin's skull rattled with every yard; gouging grass and hardened soil with dizzying force. All the while, the young saiyan glared at him with bared teeth hatred.</p>
<p>His mind was scrambled by the time they came to a stop; and the young saiyan hoisted him up, pulling him in until their faces were scant inches apart.</p>
<p>"You!" He spat, voice shrill and brows creased with frantic aggression. "Where am I?!"</p>
<p>The grip on his uniform was so tight the collar nearly choked him and the saiyan fist <em>creased</em> the armour padding.</p>
<p>"What planet?!"</p>
<p>Krillin could barely croak out a gargled response before the boy lost patience.</p>
<p>With a feral roar, a hard fist connected with his stomach, driving <em>all</em> the air from his lungs. Then a roundhouse connected with his side and his world exploded in agony.</p>
<p>This time Krillin was senseless, barrelling and churning and bounding off the earth before landing in a crumpled heap a hundred yards away.</p>
<p>Deep desperate breaths followed as he tried to will away the pain… and all the while, he could feel the flaring maelstrom of power and rage approaching him with purposeful steps. Another enemy that was beyond him…</p>
<p>What else was new?</p>
<p>Only this time, Goku wasn't here to save him. For some reason, he never was after training with that old hard ass on the watch tower.</p>
<p>All he had was himself. His strength and his wits.</p>
<p>"C'mon Krillin…" He coughed, sucking in a sudden breath as his nerves surfed his ribs like piano keys. "Get up and fight…!"</p>
<p>He found a knee… just as the saiyan found him, snarling with anger as he reached for the ESF captain once again.</p>
<p>Only to receive a mound of dirt to his eyes.</p>
<p>Oldest trick in the book…</p>
<p>The kid roared with a blind fury before Krillin sprang up, leapt back, and sent a punishing Kamehameha spiralling towards the saiyan's chest.</p>
<p>It struck with a vengeance, ploughing into his stomach and sending him soaring backwards.</p>
<p>What Krillin lacked in power, he more than made up for in wits and instinct.</p>
<p>The wave wouldn't keep the kid down for long, if at all… he'd taken way too much damage. Even without it, strength for strength, he couldn't take him on directly. But the kid had a temper and his attacks were wild as hell. Krillin needed act now, to overwhelm him… and he knew just how to do it.</p>
<p>The saiyan regained his senses and cleared his vision before twirling deftly from the beam's path. Breaths left his throat in hoarse growls and his eyes scanned for his target, brimming with murder until his caught sight of the tiny Captain.</p>
<p>Then he launched himself with tunnel-visioned ferocity, flying like lightning towards his nervous target.</p>
<p>Only to be staggered by a boot to the back of the head.</p>
<p>Then an hard shoulder caught his side and sent him rolling laterally to a knee.</p>
<p>The multiform technique.</p>
<p>Krillin tried to finish the combo but the boy was ready… catching the fist and countering with a punch so vicious, it snapped the head back and launched the duplicate into its onrushing sibling.</p>
<p>Both promptly ceased to exist.</p>
<p>The captain clung desperately to the element of surprise as he streaked behind the saiyan… but a turn of the head and a glimmering eye told him he was a split second too late.</p>
<p>That's when it happened.</p>
<p>Krillin read it but he was overcommitted…</p>
<p>The boy ducked, avoiding the blow… he pivoted, drawing back his leg… then the shin swung into a roundhouse that connected with Krillin's left arm.</p>
<p>The bones splintered like rotting wood.</p>
<p>All of them.</p>
<p>The cry that escaped him was so fierce, it felt like it his throat had been torn to pieces. Nothing registered but unspeakable pain… and he found himself laying, shocked and wide-eyed, amid a mound earth and soil-stained armour a few short yards away from the panting kid.</p>
<p>Adrenaline kicked in but did little.</p>
<p>The young moon peered from behind the clouds, a late breeze drafted over him, and all of it was lost on the captain. Offensive strategies had vacated his mind, blotted by the sensation reverberating from his left arm.</p>
<p>Time was distorted as he writhed and hyperventilated. Until a silver-tipped boot pressed <em>painfully</em> against his chest… sucking the air from his lungs.</p>
<p><em>Suffocating</em> him.</p>
<p>So <em>this</em> was how he died.</p>
<p>Again.</p>
<p>Only with no more dragon balls to bring him back…</p>
<p>His one good arm clawed desperately at the leg as his last breaths escaped him in thin, frantic gasps… but the pressure was <em>unyielding</em>.</p>
<p>Smothering.</p>
<p>Then he saw his last sight… the saiyans face twisted to a baleful sneer, eyes overflowing with sheer <em>contempt</em>… followed by an open palm glowing white with energy and filling his spot-filled vision.</p>
<p>So much for being a hero.</p>
<p>"See you… in <em>hell</em>!" The boy panted, voice a raspy and hate-filled growl.</p>
<p>Krillin's eyes squeezed shut as the heat grew over him…</p>
<p>Then a bang clapped his ears, the pressure was immediately lifted, and he was suddenly able to breathe again.</p>
<p>His gasps were frantic and filling and he coughed wetly against the soil. Through his tear-filled vision, he caught the kid staggering to his feet; clutching his head and glaring at his new assailant.</p>
<p>Then Krillin smiled faintly as he sensed his unlikely saviour.</p>
<p>"Vegeta…" He wheezed.</p>
<p>The Saiyan Prince stood, arms crossed and unperturbed at the boy's aggression. Instead his eyes scanned him with surgical precision until they settled on the brown tail tense and erect behind him.</p>
<p>"Well…" He began, a smirk spreading across his face, "…isn't this interesting."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Regent</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vegeta’s face was a picture of glee as he appraised the rabid dog standing before him. A <em>saiyan</em>… <em>young</em> and with a foul disposition that told ugly tales of defeat and a glare that brimmed with primal savagery.</p><p>“If you’re done toying with the sheep,” he stated, smirking with anticipation, “it’s time to play with the wolf.”</p><p>This shit show of a day was ending on a high note and Vegeta relished the occasion and its implications. Where had he come from? How many more of their kind were out there? How many could he rule?</p><p>The newcomer’s response was muted; a darkening of the eyes, a knitting of the brows, a clenching of the jaws, and a twitching of the tail. Anticipation. As he met the boy’s unyielding gaze, he saw a coiled spring ready to lash out at the new threat just as he’d done to the broken midget.</p><p>By now, Krillin had come to a knee behind the saiyan prince, black hair beset with grass and soil and hissing sharply as he cradling the limp arm.</p><p>“Thanks…” he’d muttered pathetically, but Vegeta had only scoffed in response.</p><p>“Fool.” The prince admonished, tone dripping with contempt. “I suggest you go see the fat samurai if you plan on keeping that arm.”</p><p>“Heh… ngh! No can do.” The midget responded, his idiotic chuckle interrupted by a pained grimace as he eyed his young assailant. “Gotta go help my team… they’re probably in worse shape than me.”</p><p>Vegeta said nothing, instead scoffing indifferently as Krilln cautiously departed. Instead he braced himself for the coming conflict. The boy had seemingly lost all interest in the midget and his attention had remained affixed to him throughout the exchange, tail swaying stiffly as his eyes bored into the prince’s own.</p><p>“Vegeta…” He finally spoke, breath evening though posture no less coiled.</p><p>“In the flesh.” The prince confirmed as the boy measured the threat. His eyes drifted from the Prince’s black flame of hair, over the dark saiyan armour, down to the gold-tipped boots, then back again. All the while, suspicion pulled at the prince’s core.</p><p>How did the boy know who he was? His own armour looked imperial; Planet Trade, albeit a modern variation. Sophisticated. <em>Expensive</em>. But Frieza was long dead, as was his father, Kakarot had seen to that. Its condition was also a clear indication that he’d landed here in retreat, not to invade… yet this backwater planet was a rock in a <em>nothing</em> section of the galaxy. There were literally thousands of habitable worlds in this galaxy, yet he just so happened to land here?</p><p>“You’re young so I’ll forgive this transgression,” he began, a grin masking his surprise, “but you should know it’s customary to bow when addressing royalty.”</p><p>“I don’t bow to dead men.”</p><p>“Oh?” Vegeta grinned, tone playful in its provocation. “Then does my supposed killer plan on telling me his name or will I have to beat that information out of him?”</p><p>The boy’s jaw clenched as the ait thickened with tension. His reply was a wordless flare of ki; burning the soil beneath him and framing him in a crimson glow. Conversation was not on the agenda; the boy sneered at him with challenge and Vegeta unfurled his arms, clenched his fist, and popped his joints. Then the grass rustled, the air burst, and the young saiyan tore towards him in a flash.</p><p>Vegeta’s heart beat evenly as his hands came up, a bang echoed across the plain, and the duo soared up and into the night.</p><p>Seasoned forearms rattled with pain, yet his face was mirthful as the duo flickered from view. Their clash rang the air like gunfire on their ascent, shockwaves reverberated with rippling wind and flares of white and red fire. A back fist collided with the prince’s guard and he grinned, parrying the follow-up before returning in kind and connecting with the boy’s forehead. The retaliatory swing was wild and the saiyan prince neatly dodged before seizing the young tail tightly.</p><p>“You should’ve kept this safe, boy!” He sneered. But his opponent was unaffected, much to his alarm.</p><p>A summersault forced the appendage free before a pair of booted heels slammed into his abdominals. The follow-up was rapid; a twirl, a seizure of the arm, a full-bodied toss that flipped the prince over his shoulder, and a roundhouse that sent the prince soaring like a missile. Vegeta scolded himself for his carelessness. Still, for a saiyan that young to have desensitised his tail was impressive. He had no time to think before the boy appeared above him, a fist cocked and a roar on his lips, but the blow connected with a hastily raised arm and a royal knee sank into an armour-clad stomach.</p><p>He was fast. It was easy to see how the young warrior had dismantled the dwarf; he was frighteningly strong for his age and attacked like his very survival depended on it. It was hardly a surprise given condition his armour was in, and his mood would only have been worsened by the entourage that had greeted him. Survival was like fuel for a saiyan. Each attack was heralded by a roar of desperate anger that rang louder than the singing blows. His teeth were bared, his breath came with growling pants, and each battle cry echoed through the evening and plucked nostalgic strings at the saiyan prince’s heart. He dodged, blocked, parried and countered with glee, and all the while he wondered what trials had been inflicted upon this youth to make him this powerful and <em>ferocious</em>.</p><p>A shrill cry shook the air as a punch banged against Vegeta’s forearm; the shockwave alone sweeping his bristled locks. The follow-up was dodged, the next parried, before Vegeta struck back with two quick jabs to the nose that made the boy grimace then roar with rage. Retaliation came from a predictable haymaker but one delivered with such ferocity, Vegeta barely dodged it. A stiff breeze swept stiffer Saiyan locks as the fist wisped past his ear but the boy flowed with the momentum and twisted dextrously into a roundhouse. It was a level of forethought that belied his savagery and Vegeta grinned inwardly as the shin connected fiercely with his shoulder and launched him into the night.</p><p>Blood rushed through his system and excitement flooded his veins, as if he’d dosed himself on the boy’s own desperate anger. It flooded his senses like a drug and stirred his adrenaline. This is what he’d wanted; an outlet for his aggression. A war against an enemy that wanted to kill him. And the boy, a saiyan, not only provided that but filled him with a sensation he hadn’t felt since his first arrival on this planet all those years ago.</p><p>He braced himself for the inevitable follow-up… the kid, in his tunnel vision, knew little else but seek and destroy. As if on cue, he materialised in front of him and Vegeta shifted; his head tilting away from a savage blow as his right hand snapped out to catch the fist with jarring force. Then his left caught the counter, their fingers interlocked, and the duo soared across the sky in a pink spiral.</p><p>Time to see what the kid could <em>really</em> do.</p><p>“You’re strong, boy, I’ll give you that!” He panted with a grin, eyes locked with the snarling adolescent. “But you’ll need more than <em>power</em> to beat me!”</p><p>The point was punctuated with renewed intent. Vegeta’s muscles flexed, his brows creased, and he drew the adolescent into a sharp head-butt which snapped the boy’s head back viscously. The young saiyan grimaced before he was jerked again into a harder knee to the stomach. A final blow sent him plummeting to the earth below and he cratered the ground on impact.</p><p>Then disappeared beneath the turf.</p><p>Vegeta frowned, tracking the subterranean power as it tore silently beneath the soil and rock below. He was trying to ambush him. An admirable strategy if your opponent couldn’t sense your energy.</p><p>Sure enough, power surged behind the Saiyan Prince, two bright balls of crimson energy burst from the earthly bed then rocketed harmlessly into the night as he dodged them neatly. Then he shifted, avoiding a wild uppercut as the boy <em>blinked</em> before him. The attack swept the air and the miss was punished elegantly as a shin connected with the young saiyan’s ribs.</p><p>He cried out, face twisting into a grimace, before snarling and shoving aside the pain, much to Vegeta’s amusement.</p><p>Tough little shit, but toughness wasn’t enough.</p><p>A savage swing followed, aimed squarely at the saiyan prince’s head, but Vegeta parried the arm, ducked, and drove an elbow into his ribs. The kid’s breath caught in his throat. A rapid combination to the stomach followed before a hard left cross sent the boy plummeting again. He slapped the earth with a bang, rippling the grass and soil, only this time he didn’t re-emerge so quickly.</p><p>“Don’t tell me you’re finished already!” Vegeta bellowed mockingly.</p><p>An admirable start had descended into sloppiness and predictability, which could only mean his endurance was beginning to fail. The boy was lean yet slight, which meant generating forceful blows consumed far more energy than his larger, matured opponent. No doubt overwhelming power had been enough to dominate most of his opponents thus far but for a warrior of Vegeta’s calibre, a fighting prodigy from the age of four, it was nothing short of mindless violence.</p><p>He landed next to the crash site, arms folded, just as the young saiyan escaped from his hole; seething and gasping and struggling to his knees. Vegeta couldn’t help but smile.</p><p>“So, you decided to bow after all.” He mocked. It had the desired effect.</p><p>The response was a roar and a lunge, which was easily evaded and countered. A dextrous twist and a snatching hand later and the boy’s hair was seized and he jerked to a halt. A roundhouse to the head followed, launching his would-be killer face-first into the dirt him skidding along the grass. To his credit, he recovered, rolling back with the momentum and sliding onto his feet, albeit a panting mess on unsteady legs.</p><p>“Well look at you.” Vegeta laughed, much to the kid’s chagrin. “Here I was worried this would be over too quickly.”</p><p>His taunts earned a hate-filled glare. There was a large part of the prince, one that nagged with four decades of survival instinct, which told him to eliminate the kid before he became a bigger threat. Another part of him, the heir without a kingdom, admired the young saiyan’s grit and wondered how far he could push him.</p><p>The kid grimaced as his aura burst defiantly, blazing brightly against the night. A hollow and wasteful show of force, which only served to burn through yet more energy. Vegeta knew he could end this whenever he wanted.</p><p>“You talk… too much…!” The boy panted, and the saiyan prince smiled.</p><p>Time for a lesson in humility.</p><p>“Then shut me up, boy.”</p><p>With a roar and a laugh, the two clashed once again, exchanging blows like gunfire.</p><hr/><p>A bang clapped the skies, filling Lazuli with dread as the troop descended toward the forest. She shielded her eyes as the shockwave struck but the next was louder; sweeping her cropped blonde locks and nearly knocking two soldiers from the sky. Still, they pressed on, soaring over the trees and wary of the figures in the distance.</p><p>“You guys seeing this?” Harsh chatter drifted through her receiver.</p><p>Another bang rumbled through the air as the other soldiers echoed the murmurs of discontent.</p><p>“How the hell do we even fight that?”</p><p>“Stay focused!” She stated forcefully, more so than was necessary, as if to push back the creeping tide of dread. But he was right.</p><p>Eight years of training and they were still ants standing next to giants but she couldn’t allow the gravity of their situation to creep into her head. Now wasn’t the time to be intimidated; her team needed her, her planet needed her, and her brother needed her.</p><p>Thirty minutes and countless contact attempts had yielded nothing but radio silence from the engagement force. The anxiety gripping her was hard enough to contend with, but the thought of Lapis lying dead… it filled her with a cold dread she couldn’t begin to describe and an urgency that pushed her forward.</p><p>“Approaching the landing zone now.”</p><p>What greeted them was carnage as forest slowly became field on their descent and the blows from the battle became distant, but her anxiety spiked then she saw the snapped and upturned trees and gouged rock skirting the clearing.</p><p>“What the hell happened here?”</p><p>A mismatch was the answer but no one wanted to acknowledge it. Then they saw the bodies and Lazuli’s heart caught in her throat.</p><p>“Lapis…” Her desperate whisper echoed in her ears as she landed and her heart thumped in her throat as her eyes caught every inch of the scenery.</p><p>The clearing was littered with defeated soldiers and broken machinery, all laying on a bed of churned earth, and at the heart was an upturned spacecraft. For several long seconds she’d forgotten to breathe as her worst fears came to fruition… then sound returned to the world, the groans caught in her ears, and she remembered that dead bodies were usually silent.</p><p>She remembered her duties, as did her unit, and she commanded them to begin the recovery. Her anxiety eased slightly as the soldiers spread out over the clearing, though the dread still lingered as they fumbled through the old machinery and treated and debriefed the survivors. Not a single one of them had her brother’s blue eyes or black feathered hair but they all had broken bones, concussions, contusions, and a story to tell of the initial attack.</p><p>A saiyan. Like Prince Vegeta. Like Goku. One attack was all it had taken to floor them all.</p><p>“We didn’t stand a chance.” The soldier had told them.</p><p>Anxiety tightened its grip further when the search became tragic. Two fatalities; one found slumped on a tree branch, armour decimated having borne the brunt of the attack, another half-buried in the ground.</p><p>Her dread increased. Where was Lapis? Piss head. Her mirror. And Krillin… She’d never feared for his safety before; if the rest of the soldiers survived the attack, he would have definitely escaped unscathed. But who’s to say he survived the follow-up? He would’ve been alone with no backup against a homicidal saiyan. Unless her brother decided to follow him… It would be just like him. He was nowhere to be seen after all.</p><p>“Lapis!” She heard herself call. “Lapis!”</p><p>No answer. But the other soldiers aided her call.</p><p>“Laapiiis!”</p><p>Her search took her away from the clearing as her heart hammered in her chest and she fought valiantly to combat the wave of dread. So much so that she almost missed the weakened power level drifting towards the clearing. It wasn’t her brother but it was familiar.</p><p>“Krillin!”</p><p>She descended in a flash and, sure enough, she found the diminutive captain slumped against a tree and breathing heavily in the dark.</p><p>“Over here…!” He called out weakly.</p><p>She caught his eyes and his weak smile and professionalism and protocol left her instantly. She raced to embrace him in a bone-crushing hug but instantly regretted it when he cried out in pain.</p><p>“Careful…!”</p><p>Releasing him, her brows furrowed in confusion until she caught sight of his arm and gasped.</p><p>“What happened?”</p><p>He grimaced, reluctantly relinquishing the arm she tenderly inspected it. It was a badly broken mess; she was stunned he hadn’t gone into shock.</p><p>“The kid.” He responded flatly; grimacing again as he moved the appendage.</p><p>Her face twisted into a mask of concern and desperate anger, he needed medical attention, but just as the clash echoed in the distance, her brother shot to the forefront of her mind. Krillin seemed to read her mind.</p><p>“Don’t worry about me…” He began tentatively, his brief pause and awkward glance drawing a crescendo of fear in her chest. “I found Lapis.”</p><hr/><p>It was far too easy.</p><p>The boy advanced as they tore across the plain only to meet a vicious cross to the jaw. He advanced again only for his swing to miss and a fist to shift his organs. Vegeta watched him almost appraisingly as he doubled over in agony before a thrusted heel sent him sailing from the sky.</p><p>“Is that the best you can do?”</p><p>To the kid’s credit, he pushed away the pain and prepared to ascend again, only to meet a hot ball of energy to the face. The boy’s endurance may have been questionable but his tenacity stood up to scrutiny. The kid had heart. He’d shaken off the smoke, only mildly staggered and singed, before he regained aerial purchase.</p><p>Vegeta moved to capitalise, only for the boy to disappear. Instincts nudged the saiyan prince and he ducked, narrowly avoiding a blow to the back of the head, before driving and elbow into the boy’s sternum.</p><p>“Crafty bastard, aren’t you!” He bellowed mirthfully, seizing the boy’s head, flipping him over his shoulder, and delivering a sharp blow to spinning youth’s sternum.</p><p>He soared like an arrow towards the ground but Vegeta beat him there. The adolescent’s bounce dented the grassy earth before a foot caught his ribs and sent him sailing, skipping, and sliding across the surface. There he remained, in a mound of dried earth, a trembling mess.</p><p>The prince wondered if the fight had finally been beaten from his would-be killer but a hoarse moan and a subtle shift in weight was evidence that wasn’t the case. A strange sense of pride followed.</p><p>“<em>You</em>…” The boy growled, coughing through gritted teeth as he rose to his hands and knees.</p><p>“You have promise, boy, so I’ll give you one chance.” Vegeta declared, smirking. “Surrender, bow to your king, and I <em>may</em> grant you mercy.”</p><p>“You… <em>won’t</em>… beat me…!”</p><p>The words were spat into the ground, more to himself than the saiyan prince, who strode to towards him with a smile on his face.</p><p>“What was that?” Vegeta taunted. “I couldn’t hear you through the teeth in your throat-”</p><p>An adolescent fist struck the ground with gritted teeth… and the earth jolted violently.</p><p>Vegeta frowned, uncertainty creeping into his core. That was strength he shouldn’t possess. The earth trembled, wind swept the terrain and elevated the boy’s hair… then the ground rocked again as a fist beat it once more.</p><p>Vegeta’s brows furrowed and hesitancy entered his steps. Then the boy turned to him with a monstrous glare, his face twisted with hate, and his eyes alight with a pale green.</p><p><em>Impossible</em>.</p><p>“You won’t beat me!” He screamed.</p><p>A primal roar followed, the ground shook violently then <em>cracked</em> from the strain. Soil cooked and hardened in to solid clumps of rock before bursting wildly into the sky in a spiral of gold. Gale-force winds swept the plain, assaulting Vegeta with violent force, and for a few brief moments, night became day. Through it all, shock rooted the saiyan prince where he stood, just as the boy exploded from his bed in an enormous hail of rubble and golden light. It took a split second for Vegeta’s mind to supply the name of the legendary form before a fist struck his jaw with such force, the aftershock <em>rippled</em> the ground in its wake.</p><p>He soared across the field before he realised he’d even been hit. Pain had barely registered before the boy was upon him again, hair engulfed in flames, and the second blow seemed to strike before the punch had even been thrown.</p><p>The earth seemed to <em>shatter</em> beneath the Saiyan Prince as he bounced hard and breathless… then again as the next blow struck, and the one after that. Vegeta, driven by pure instinct, braced himself for the next with his arms crossed over his chest, but the boy disappeared in a blink. His heart hammered in his ears as a wave of confusion struck before a boot followed suit, colliding with his side and sending him sailing and scarring the hardened turf. All the mirth had disappeared; survival mode had well and truly taken over.</p><p>Instincts screamed at him and he cursed loudly before taking to the air, just as a hail of bright orange bullets punctured the earth, burrowed beneath the soil, and engulfed the field in fire. Seconds later, the earth rumbled before the field exploded in a blinding flash, launching blackened chunks of earth into the air and filling the prince’s lungs with coarse black smoke.</p><p>The close call spiked his rage and singed his pride.</p><p>How <em>dare </em>he?!</p><p>He barely had time to turn to his right before a deranged scream caught his ears and a monstrous force struck. A loud bang crackled the skies and the impact carried them through the air at liquefying speed. The wind hammered Vegeta’s ears and flapped his hair as his arms struggled fiercely to repel the blow. Beneath them, blackened earth quickly became forest but all of it was lost as he matched the boy’s glare in both hatred and ferocity.</p><p>Camaraderie had rapidly been spent. It was time to kill.</p><p>Slowly he allowed his panic and adrenaline to intensify and swell into anger. It strengthen him, boiling into a sickly blend of fury and loathing before flooding his heart with a familiar rage that filled his body with power. His very skin began to glow and the duo began to decelerate, much to the boy’s confusion, as his brows creased further and he snarled viciously. Then, as Vegeta glared into the boy’s eyes, he saw something… a resemblance offset by deeply tanned and scarred skin. The slant of the jaw, the angle of the eyes, the slope of the nose, the rebellious locks of golden hair falling over the boy’s eyes.</p><p>It was all that was needed to push him over the edge.</p><p>The duo came to an abrupt standstill, the young warrior’s knee pressed firmly against the saiyan prince’s glowing palms. Shock struck the boy’s face, almost tempering his rage as he stared at the saiyan prince’s teal eyes. And Vegeta, ever the opportunist, took full advantage; shoving the adolescent leg aside before lashing out with new, vengeful strength.</p><p>The fist crashed into the young jaw with blinding speed and sent him plummeting from the skies to the forest below.</p><p>Wood splintered, branches exploded, and trunks were severed on the boy’s descent as Vegeta’s keen senses tracked the young upstart cutting through the greenery. Then the forest floor was cratered, trees were uprooted, and the ground jolted and shifted from the impact as the shockwave flattened the woodland. But Vegeta would give him no time to rest.</p><p>His euphoric roar echoed through the night. Stiff black hair sparked and ignited in white gold and his form erupted in bright flames against the dark night sky.</p><p>Playtime was over.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>“Nimbus!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The cry scattered the crows in a flurry of feathers and echoed broadly across Mount Paozu. Moments later, Goku was airborne; cross-legged and laughing as the golden cloud puttered, looped and spiralled through the skies. He grinned as the wind blasted his ears and ruffled his hair, whooped in elation as the nimbus rollercoastered through the clouds, and gazed in awe at the view.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Blue skies shone under the midday sun and stretched endlessly over a carpet of white clouds, and Goku’s breath frosted coldly in the altitude… then the Nimbus dipped suddenly below the white mist and the world below became colourful. Orange and brown forests below gave way to fields of white and green, which then gave way to black rock and white sand that stretched on until striking wall of deep blue ocean.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Look, Gohan!” Goku grinned, pointing at the seagulls squawking just below them, but the toddler in his lap was silent.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Gohan?” His grin shifted to a look of perplexion as he glanced down at his son.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gohan didn’t share his enthusiasm, in fact he couldn’t see the view at all as he gripped his father’s gi tightly and buried his face in his chest. He was terrified.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Gohan.” Goku began, coaxing him from his trembling as the Nimbus soared through the sky. Gohan peered up at him, tears brimming, but he warmed to his father’s reassuring smile. “It’s scary, huh?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gohan nodded, peering cautiously at the rushing scenery before nearly jumping out of his skin at the squawking of a passing bird..</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It always perplexed Goku. Given his natural fearlessness and thirst for adventure, and Chi-Chi’s… Chi-Chi-ness, he’d never really understood why Gohan was so timid or why everything scared him so much. Wildlife, animals, fishing, camping; if it didn’t involve four walls and text books, it filled his little boy with terror and Goku with sympathy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Maybe it was all the studying. He’d have to speak to Chi-Chi.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t worry.” He continued, smiling brightly as he pat his son’s head. “I’ll never let anything happen to you!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gohan was silent for a second, considering his father’s words, then he eased his face an inch from Goku’s chest and peered cautiously at the clouds above and oceans below.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Promise…?” He mumbled, quietly grasping for reassurance.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Promise!” Goku confirmed with a grin.</em>
</p><hr/><p>The prickly light peeking through the leaves told Goku he was in a forest somewhere, and he slowly eased his eyes open and stared blearily at the leafy canopy.</p><p>His head throbbed and a cotton-like fogginess completely smothered his senses; tell-tale signs of sensory shutdown. It always happened when he trained with Modi; learning instant transmission had been tough enough but the second channel was brutal. Fifteen hours connected to the universe had been enough for his senses to just… disappear, along with his sense of direction.</p><p>As he lay on his back, he was numb to the world around him but he could still feel the dried leaves and twigs prickling his neck and exposed arms, and hear the morning birds chirping and the flow of a distant stream. Wherever he was, it was early morning and he was <em>far </em>from home.</p><p>Groggy and numb, he hoisted himself up and took in his surroundings but his mood immediately soured when he caught sight of the red field of trees. Time had robbed him of his appreciation for nature, and he’d normally avoid anywhere that wasn’t baron, but exhaustion and sensory shutdown was a wicked combination. He’d flown off blindly from the lookout and exhaustion must have overwhelmed him mid-flight. It was a familiar pattern whenever he felt like a failure; whenever he couldn’t bring himself to go home and look his wife in the eye.</p><p>You’re a coward, Goku, he laughed at himself.</p><p>It was funny. He could face down monsters and tyrants but he had no answer to his wife’s disapproving glares or her sympathetic gaze. Oddly enough, he hated the sympathy more than the disapproval; at least the latter was more confrontational. Goku would take anything over pity and over this forest too… a baron wasteland; devoid of beauty, just rocks and dirt and emptiness. No lives to protect, no people to depend on him or pity him for his losses, just him and an opponent. Piccolo for sure, he owed him a beating, or maybe he could finally have that showdown with Vegeta, but both of them were fantasy for now, the reality was King Kai’s warning.</p><p>He’d have to go home eventually and face his wife but he didn’t wanna think about that for now.</p><p>His stomach growled.</p><p>What’s for breakfast? Maybe venison? He hadn’t had that in a while and there were bound to be some deer somewhere in the forest. Or maybe fish from the stream nearby? His senses may have been shot but maybe he could detect something if he concentrated hard enough.</p><p>He tried for a painful second but his head only throbbed harder.</p><p>“Shit…”</p><p>That’s when he felt it…. like a shot of adrenaline. When his senses came back, it was usually a slow drip-feed. This time, however, two power levels bludgeoned him and he nearly collapsed backward.</p><p>The first was unmistakably Vegeta’s and it was aggressive, though the fogginess made it hard to tell whether he was training or fighting. Then he felt the second. It was equally as large but, alarmingly, it was growing rapidly. And it felt like…</p><p>His eyes widened.</p><p>Any lingering exhaustion he felt evaporated in an instant as he leapt to his feet, closed his eyes, and stood frozen. In that moment, a storm of emotions raged in Goku’s heart; elation, disbelief, confusion, they all flowed through him, as well as a sudden surge of paternal instinct when he sensed the aggression radiating from Vegeta.</p><p>He’d kill him…</p><p>Two fingers instinctively found his forehead as he honed in on his target… but nothing happened. Even as his senses returned to him, he had nowhere near enough to teleport to their location but he did have enough to fly.</p><p>“I’m coming, Gohan!”</p><p>A second later, he burst from the ground in a flurry of leaves.</p><hr/><p>Energy flared like liquid gold as a fist struck the boy’s jaw, but that only enraged him. A roar tore through the mountains as he swung and Vegeta’s entire body reverberated violently as the blow struck his guard. He barely dodged the next fist and the follow-up <em>jarred</em> his palm but a blind head butt nearly separated him from consciousness. The boot to the ribcage that followed was no less painful and he plummeted from the air with the frigid cold licking his wounds.</p><p>But he was Vegeta.</p><p>He shook off the pain, mastered his flight, and <em>narrowly</em> dodged the balls of liquid fire that trailed after him. A steely determination filled him, controlled anger fed his veins with a steady stream of power, and he charged towards his advancing opponent like a comet against the night.</p><p>Their clash rang for miles, white gold against a blinding inferno, and the shockwave swept snow from mountains and trees. Then came the flurry; hundreds of blows in rapid succession as the duo unleashed their ill-intent in a smoking cocoon of molten gold. There was no time for words or taunts. Each fist that struck illuminated the night like lightning streaking across the blackened sky, and through it all the Saiyan Prince’s eyes bored into the young upstart’s soul.</p><p>He found a berserker; devoid of fear or even sapience and screaming into the abyss as it drowned in its own strength. Indeed his eardrums reverberated harshly as struggled he to keep pace with the insane adolescent. Every blow flew with venom and struck his guard with near-debilitating force, his sheer speed challenged every sinew of Vegeta’s reflexes and the malice was so palpable, he could choke on it. And the boy was growing stronger by the minute… his power was beginning to dwarf his own and the grip on his senses had long gone, but Vegeta remained patient and confident.</p><p>
  <em>“You’ll need more than power to beat me!”</em>
</p><p>It was only a matter of time.</p><p>The ice below them evaporated in a flash as the wayward attack struck home, launching fresh waves and steam high into the air. Their war had carried them north from forests, fields and a cool evening breeze to frigid cold of mountains and glaciers. A trail of cooked earth and charred forests were the legacy of their battle and the carnage had been wrought at the child’s hands, such was his urgency to make good on his threat. And Vegeta approved. He relished the intimacy and <em>truth</em> of the occasion; two men enter and the strongest leaves.</p><p>The destruction would also deter those presumptuous Sky soldiers from interfering. Weaklings to a man, they couldn’t <em>hope</em> to understand the significance of what was taking place.</p><p>Rage flooded the young warrior’s senses; stripping him of thought and holding his body together. He was instinct and savagery personified; endurance renewed, aggression infinite, and impervious to punishment. In fact, he seemed to be fuelled by it. He fought for destruction and that urgency only seemed to increase the longer the fight went on. If the old tale-keepers could give form to the legend, it would be his assailant.</p><p>Each assault was unrelenting, each blow was intended to kill, painful even for a super saiyan to endure, but Vegeta endured it none the less. He was enjoying himself after all.</p><p>A blow penetrated his guard, hitting <em>hard</em> between the eyes, and he crashed back-first through ice and rock. But he shook off his daze quickly, dodging a lethal pair of heels that annihilated his rocky bed before launching himself at his challenger. The little bastard would get no rest.</p><p>The punch struck flush but the boy barely noticed it as he burst free from the ice and resumed his relentless assault. The duo exchanged cannon-like blows on their ascent; eyes locked and radiating malice and murder, and the prince was planted firmly in the crosshairs.</p><p>He couldn’t help but grin.</p><p>He was attired in cuts and bruises but, inside, he was euphoric as he slowly began to catch opening after opening in the usurper’s violently reckless assault. In the midst of their fire fight, Vegeta caught another one. A young fist was parried, rattling the larger prince’s arm painfully in the process, still his counter hit home and forcefully shifted the boy’s chin. The predictable roar of rage was cut off as Vegeta buried an illuminated knee into his sternum. Blood and saliva splattered onto the elder saiyan’s armour before another blow sent the young usurper ricocheting off mountain and rock.</p><p>Finally.</p><p>Vegetal hovered patiently, bathing his surroundings in flowing light and the soft echo of his breath as what remained of the mountain crumbled in a rain of ice and rock. It wouldn’t be long.</p><p>Sure enough, the plateau was vaporised in a burst of residual heat as a stream of orange light crashed toward him like a wave. The speed was incalculable but Vegeta launched himself at the assault. <em>Daring</em> it to kill him… It was only as the <em>intense</em> heat washed over him that alarm bells rang and he arced his flight to avoid the assault. And there he found his young adversary bearing down on him; a cry on his lips, a clenched fist cocked, and glowing brilliantly against the night sky.</p><p>His power had peaked.</p><p>The blow echoed over the mountainous plain and the shockwave stripped sheets of ice from mountains as it rocked the prince’s cheek. Vegeta sailed, shattering the peak from a mountain top before regaining aerial purchase and halting his momentum. He barely had time to recover before the second blow struck his guard; rattling his joints painfully, flaring ki, and launching both fighters yet again. But the agony only served to fuel the prince’s determination as he glared balefully at the bastard who’d dared to challenge him.</p><p>This blow had been weaker than the last. His confidence grew. He was the prince of all saiyans and he would bring this little shit to heel.</p><p>He laughed and grimaced as the next flurry of blows rocked his arms and chest. The last he dodged, retaliating with a blow to the stomach and a knee to the face that stained the boy’s lips and chin with a fresh stream of blood. But the boy snarled with red teeth, lashing out with a wild swing that missed its target by a white hair’s width, but the back fist that followed struck home on Vegeta’s temple. He was momentarily stunned but recovered in time to seize the boy’s wrist before the palm, orange with fight-ending fire, could strike his chest.</p><p>His heart thundered in his ears. The prince twisted urgently just as the ball detonated blindingly and the shockwave sent both belligerent sailing wildly into the air. But it was Vegeta who recovered first; steadying his flight before capitalising with a fist that sank into the boy’s stomach. For the first time, the pain registered on his face, and Vegeta grinned confidently.</p><p>It was downhill from here.</p><p>The boy hacked and coughed an agonised cry as yet more pain cracked through his sanity, but a boot to his jaw silenced him and he plummeted to the ground.</p><p>Time to go to school.</p><p>Vegeta watched as the boy burst from his bed, flaring his ki with a defiant roar. But renewed senses, augmented with power, caught the acute shifts in the boy’s muscles and weight. He capitalised swiftly; rushing to intercept any attempted launch, twisting deftly behind his stunned target and delivering a firm roundhouse to the shoulder that sent him boy sailing hard along the ground and crashing into an errant mound of icy rock. He followed-up quickly, dodging a wild, retaliatory bolt of energy before baring down on his panic-stricken foe.</p><p>The pain had cut through the insanity.</p><p>A feinted fist baited a premature guard, then a grin followed as he shifted his weight and sent a shin hard into the boy’s exposed ribs.</p><p>The bang was deafening. The icy plateau shattered, the adolescent body soared laterally, gouged ice from the arctic floor, and settled weakly in a mound of snow.</p><p>End game.</p><p>It had taken Vegeta years of blood, strife, and the conquest of death itself to ascend. When he’d first broken the barrier, the rewards had been beyond his wildest dreams. A dead celestial rock in the lonely depths of space had been the unworthy backdrop to the storm that had raged in his mind and body… Unfathomable <em>power</em>, a god-like euphoria, and an almost uncontrollable rage. He’d nearly destroyed it and his ship in the process.</p><p>In those fleeting minutes of ascension, the prince had been deified; ruling all he surveyed with the strength to destroy entire worlds at his fingertips. Only the ancestors knew what this boy had endured to ascend. If such feelings could overwhelm the senses of an otherwise composed and experienced warrior such as himself, a green-horned boy stood no chance. It was a wonder that his power hadn’t torn him to pieces.</p><p>A murderous roar of defiance shook the horizon as yet more golden light flickered into being; cracking rock, shattering icy sheets, and wafting fresh steam into the night sky. Vegeta floated calmly, watching the boy’s fire burn brightly and defiantly, a royal frown on his face as the usurper’s thick mane flickered once more from dulled gold to a roaring inferno. But there was a pained hoarseness to his yell as blood fell from his lips.</p><p>He was beaten but he didn’t even know it. Refused to acknowledge it even. As Vegeta locked eyes with his pained and panting young foe, something akin to admiration crept through him.</p><p>The air crackled and burst once as the boy advanced once more, but he’d slowed considerably… Fatigue undermined the ferocity of his punches and he scowled deeply and roared gutturally with every lazy dodge and parry. The once bright aura had dulled considerably. This was the part Vegeta usually enjoyed; when an opponent slowly awoke to the hopeless reality of their situation, but as he parried the next blow and drove a knee once more into the boy’s ribs, he was surprised to find his mirth had faded.</p><p>The boy rasped again and screamed, this time in agony, and Vegeta watched the display with cold indifference. Then a swift follow-up sent him tumbling end over end over ice and rock before sliding into a shallow pool of water. The brilliant mane flickered to a listless black.</p><p>He was done.</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t bow to dead men…”</em>
</p><p>As Vegeta slowly advanced on his exhausted opponent, his mind conjured the Legend’s tale. How the ancestors had answered the saiyan’s call for a savour and poured their combined strength into a worthy warrior. How he’d taken this power and laid waste to their enemies, then seized the throne by right of strength… How the power was so great, it could only be contained in his oozaru state yet the power had destroyed him all the same.</p><p>Even after Vegeta’s own ascension, he’d been wary of the legend, and years of training and experience lent credence to the tale. A fully-powered Super Saiyan was as much a danger to himself as his opponent; uncontrolled power was a double-edged sword and as the boy was now discovering. Vegeta had no doubt that he’d been the first to push him to this limit.</p><p>Vegeta had been effectively forewarned by the tale-keepers. Kakarot, the bastard, was as much a prodigy as he and had learned it instinctively. But no-one had been around to teach this boy.</p><p>This rabid dog.</p><p>The saiyan prince watched the trembling adolescent from afar as he struggle to a knee, blood dripping freely from his mouth and steam wafting from his limbs despite the icy cold. The latter was alarming, an ugly site, and the boy cried out his agony to the world. Vegeta watched from afar as the boy failed to find purchase on shaking limbs and collapsed face first to the blood-slicked rock. He was surprised to find himself floating high above the young warrior; hair still bathed in white gold and a palm extended and hot with energy.</p><p>Admiration be damned, his pride still bristled from those opening blows and instinct pulled at the prince to silence any threat to him. Death was a fitting fate to all who opposed him, especially those who’d rejected his offer of mercy. Yet his mind was filled with the possibilities that this <em>boy</em> represented.</p><p>Where had he come from? How many more were out there? How had he attained such strength?</p><p>How similar were they?</p><p>Vegetal grit his teeth, seething at his indecisiveness… and the intrusive familiarity. The big bang hung from his palm, illuminating the near unconscious brat in a deathly white. Seconds stretched to minutes as the smoking child shivered and convulsed, but his fate was abruptly snatched from the prince’s palm when a fist collided with his jaw.</p>
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